(Part 2) Best dog supplies according to redditors

You could also try dog window, with your neighbor's permission of course.

Sidenote, the "Frequently bought together" option of a sausage stuffer is kind of odd.

This was posted to /r/INEEEEDIT, a subreddit I mod based around cool products and inventions.

I source every item posted as best I can, here's what I could find:

This is called the "PetPeek Fence Window for Pets"

It's $36 for those wondering, here's some links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/PetPeek-Fence-Window-for-Pets/dp/B00BHBJPHA

Source Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnfTY8brkCQ

Seems to be made of acrylic. Not sure why you couldn't just leave a hole in your fence without the dome, but I guess this prevents people from touching your dogs or feeding them stuff you might not want.

Reviews are all really cute because people are posting pics of their dogs in it:

https://i.imgur.com/jeVDIaX.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/VClVTYR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/32BHrCA.png

Sounds like you need one of these thingies

https://www.amazon.com/PetPeek-Fence-Window-for-Pets/dp/B00BHBJPHA

This is my advice from training lots of dogs and volunteering many years at the humane society (I am not a professional) - "don't work harder, work smarter." You are trying way too hard and you are burning yourself out. That does not bode well for you or your dog.

He is hyperactive and needs to get his energy out, but that said, no dog needs 4-5 hours of activity a day. That is just crazy. Instead of running or walking (save your knees, you need them!) with him, train him to do urban mushing. Since you says he pulls a lot, it would be dangerous for you to get a regular bike so I would recommend getting a cart.

Next, buy him a weighted pack. Throw this on him (and feel free to put your water bottles and snacks in there) while you are walking or for a couple of hours a day and it will slow him down and tire him out. It also makes him feel like he has a job to do. Since you think he may be a blue lacey, you really need to give him a job to do since he is a working dog. That also explains why he doesn't like doing tricks but likes finding stuff for you.

A couple of activities that are great for a working dog are agility and nose work. Sign up for your local agility and nose work class and the people there will give you great tips on how to tire your dog out without burning yourself out since they are actually experienced with training with working dogs. These kinds of jobs also train him to listen to your commands in a home setting.

Your dog is not a extremely dominant or submissive, he is what working dog trainers call a "soft" dog. This means they are very sensitive to loud, verbal yelling or negative energy. It is hard to see them react when you overcorrect but this also means that they are very trainable since they want to please you. Use a calm and low voice when you correct your dog.

For working from home, you have to learn to ignore him. I know it is heartbreaking to hear his whining but the truth of it is, if you give a dog an inch, they will take a mile. He knows how to push your buttons and he will so you have to harden yourself up not give in. Instead, get him a bunch of interactive toys
like this 1, [2] (https://www.amazon.com/Trixie-Mad-Scientist-Dogs-Level/dp/B003TOKTEG/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1469997634&sr=8-11&keywords=interactive+dog+toys), [3.] (https://www.amazon.com/Trixie-Gambling-Tower-Level-1/dp/B002XCTUIQ/ref=sr_1_38?ie=UTF8&qid=1469997634&sr=8-38&keywords=interactive+dog+toys) Fill them with his favorite treats and let him learn to amuse himself.

Lastly, this is probably the most important advice I have - get a gentle leader. It jerks their head to the side if they pull, so they stop pulling. It works amazingly for dogs who like to pull on their leash and do not respond to training. It seriously is a godsend for many of the dogs I walked in the shelter and could not control. It will save you many a more broken bones.

Feel free to message me if you need more help. I love helping people who love their dogs enough to not give up on them.

I bought https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UZNLGA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 because of my neighbor's dog. Mounted it on a pole just over the top of my fence facing downward into the neighbors yard and set the sensitivity to max. Holy shit it worked so good. Neighbor's dog started panicking every time it barked, would shit in the house, etc. They had to start taking the dog out to pee/poop manually in their front yard.

Please note that I only did this after we confronted the neighbor no less than 5 times asking them if they could stop leaving their dog outside barking every single day from 5am to 10pm. Their response was basically 'deal with it', so i did.

They actually wrote a letter to the HOA and complained about our dog bark deterrent and they told us to remove it, but we simply wrote back and said they let their dog bark 15+ hours a day and it was in our yard and we'd be happy to remove it if they'd actually take care of their dog. Never heard anything again.

The device actually broke after about 2-3 years but their dog hasn't barked since. He doesn't even go in the back yard anymore.

This was mentioned in another barking dog thread.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ESMUWS6

I bought it a few days ago and have seen almost immediate results with my dbag neighbor's dogs.

Holes are last year. It's all about that bubble now

Honestly, I am weary to post this in that many of you may say this in inhumane, but I think it is an immediate solution.

My family has 4 chihuahas who act very much like the dogs you've described(one barks, they all bark). We bought one of these bark boxes that emits a high pitch sound inaudible to humans when it senses the dogs bark. This sound distracts the dog so that they stop barking. We only had to actually turn it on a handful of times before they got the message that it wasn't cool to bark when it was night time. It was incredibly effective, much to my surprise. I would think if you set one of these on your side of the fence and turned it on for a few nights at 10PM, the dogs would learn not to bark, at which point you could just return the box and sleep in peace.

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Outdoor-Ultrasonic-Bark-Deterrent/dp/B000UZNLGA

They probably also sell these at pet stores.

Available on Amazon!

In case anyone was interested.

Thank you so much! It’s actually a super lightweight x pen made out of plastic and metal that is joined together by little pieces. You can make them whatever shape you want, it’s very versatile! It comes with 12 panels total, you can make a rectangle or a square pen. Super cool.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details

I am here to second your comment.

[This one is $30 and shaped like a birdhouse!](http://www.amazon.com/DOGTEK-BirdHouse-Control-Outdoor-Indoor/dp/B00ESMUWS6/ref=sr_1_sc_3?
ie=UTF8&qid=1407684695&sr=8-3-spell&keywords=bark+ultrasonicoutoor)

I had some neighbors who pulled the exact same thing with their dogs. A friend lent me a similar device, the barking stopped in 2 hours, the neighbors moved two months later. They could not figure out what was wrong with their precious little fluffies! (They threatened me when I used the normal approach- polite talking).

/r/pettyrevenge?

This is the Tespo Dog PlayPen (Amazon). I used zipties to put it together, so it folds up flat. It was kind of pricey (I think around $45-50 when I got it off Amazon, free shipping), but it's really convenient and they can only escape by going over the top -- as you can see, lol.

Dog puzzle feeders.
My dog gets his dinner from toys everyday. I rotate between OurPets IQ Puzzle Ball, Kong Wobbler, Magic Mushroom, and Tug a Jug, since those are the slowest dispensing as well as easiest to fill. I also have a load of other ones but found them to be too easy for him (One minute to empty Buster Cube on "hardest" difficulty vs average 20 minutes from the toys I mentioned). I used them everyday for about 5 to 6 years and never had to replace them.( Then again, my dog is not much of a chewer of hard plastic.) My dog LOVES getting his food from toys to the point of actually almost refusing to eat while giving me a very sad disappointed face when I just put it in his bowl. He has fun and they tire him out (he is panting after every meal). Win for me.

You want something more like this https://www.amazon.com/Coastal-Pet-Undercoat-Designed-Undercoats/dp/B0083TSC64/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=grooming+rake&qid=1572242409&sr=8-5


You do NOT want any blades on the tools you use as they can break and damage the coat extremely easily. Honestly the only brushes I use for my own dogs is a soicker brush and a comb for tangles and I own 3 aussies. Along with monthly deshed baths and blow outs, they hardly shed at all and have nice coats

grab one of these and u never have to fucking worry about bags

https://www.amazon.ca/AmazonBasics-Waste-Bags-Dispenser-Leash/dp/B00NABTGY2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1527474537&sr=8-4&keywords=dog+poop

I love that he has the face and head of a dog way bigger than he is. Good boy!
My pup knows yellow duck and it makes me so excited when I tell him to get it and he does. I should work on some others.

BTW: Yellow ducks have survived three of my aussies. One for each of them. The only toy none of them have ever destroyed. I replace them because they just get gross after a couple years. They aren't tough toys. I don't have any idea why they last. But none of my pups have ever town theirs up. Each of them coveted theirs.

These guys. Bought them almost a year ago and haven't run out.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Waste-Bags-Dispenser-Leash/dp/B00NABTGY2/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1479350978&sr=1-4&keywords=Dog+poop+bags

Seasoned Wag walker here (~1000 walks). These are my top tips:

1. All you absolutely NEED as a walker is your smartphone, so make sure it is charged. Invest in a portable charger if necessary.
   
2. Bring a roll of poop bags. In my experience, ~50% of owners don't provide them. If you plan on doing this a while, buy the 900-pack on Amazon for 15 bucks.
   
3. Never under any circumstances click "Start walk" until the dog is leashed and you're out the door. Literally 90% of problems I've seen on this sub occur because a walker clicked "Start walk" when they shouldn't have. If for any reason you are unable to get the dog leashed and out the door (i.e. can't get in to the residence, dog is nervous/avoiding you, the dog is being aggressive, whatever) either contact the owner or request a cover from Wag. Some walkers think "I'll just click Start walk and then end it immediately and explain what happened in the notes" which is the worst possible thing you can do.
   
4. If the owner has a lockbox, make sure you close it and scramble it as soon as you remove the key. This may sound obvious, but I've seen some walkers who leave the lockbox open during a walk, which is baffling. Whether you keep the key with you during the walk is up to you (some recommend putting it back in the lockbox so you don't lose it, but I always keep it on me and in 1000 walks have never had a problem) but always close the lockbox immediately.
   
5. After the walk, assuming the owner isn't home, it's common courtesy to fill the dog's water bowl (unless there are explicit instructions otherwise). It's important to audibly explain what you're doing as you're doing it (i.e. "Let's fill up your water bowl!") so in case someone is home or the owner has a camera, they know that you're not doing something you shouldn't be.
   
6. Always knock and wait a few seconds before unlocking the door, even if the instructions don't mention anyone will be home. Because sometimes another family member or roommate or something might actually be there. If someone is home after you open the door, introduce yourself immediately with "Hi, I'm sophiac2121, your dog walker!"
   
7. "Whitewash" your report cards. Don't lie, but for example if the dog was pulling like crazy the whole walk, say "we had a really energetic walk around the neighborhood!" Owners don't like hearing negative shit about their dogs.

Depending on how far away the dogs are from your property, you could try one of those ultrasonic anti-barking devices: http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Outdoor-Ultrasonic-Bark-Deterrent/dp/B000UZNLGA

https://www.amazon.com/Duckworth-Large-Dog-Assorted-color/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523192356&sr=8-3&keywords=stuffed%2Bduck%2Bdog%2Btoy&th=1

This was my Yorkie’s “lover” for his whole life lol.

My terrier mix puppy rips every single plush to shreds within minutes or hours of getting it except this stuffed duck which has lasted two and a half weeks so far and is still fully intact. I don't know if it's the texture of it or what. Clearly by the reviews, some dogs are still destroying it, but I've been super impressed with what it has survived so far and it's her go to toy and gets roughed up a lot. I've also heard good things about the softer toys from the Bark Box Destroyers Club.

Multipet Duckworth (Assorted Colors) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-JrTCbAH7Q16S

It’s the most ridiculous phenomenon. I saw a thread of everyone talking about how great it was. Had to try it myself.

Edit original post

I worked in a grooming salon for a long while. I can say that this is the best fur brush I have ever used. It looks goofy at first, but it takes out mountains of undercoat.
http://www.amazon.com/KONG-ZoomGroom-Grooming-Brush-Boysenberry/dp/B0002AR19Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1369431841&sr=1-1&keywords=zoom+groom

https://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Seek-Treat-Shuffle-Puzzle/dp/B0038WP1YC

You put a treat in each hole and your pet tries to slide the things over and get it out.

Beware of imposter ducks !

Get them into training ASAP. They can be a stubborn, headstrong, energetic breed. In the wrong hands, this could be a disastrous combination.

They have razor sharp puppy teeth that they like to put to good use. You will most likely end up with some handsome red scratches on your legs/arms/face/etc. Do not fret, this is normal.

If you did not know already, this breed is prone to hip dysplasia. The occurrence of hip dysplasia is based on mainly genetics, weight, and exercise. Hopefully you got your pup from a good breeder who screens the parents' hips and elbows, as orthopedically sound parents will more likely produce orthopedically sound pups. You can also help reduce the likelihood of HD by keeping your GSD lean and on a healthy food. I recommend Victor Nutra Pro here https://www.chewy.com/victor-select-nutra-pro-active-dog/dp/129281 You can find other good foods on Dog Food Advisor. In addition, here is a chart that illustrates the different body types of dogs: http://www.dummies.com/pets/dogs/how-to-evaluate-your-dogs-weight/ This is just a general guideline of course - the healthy body types will vary slightly by breed. But this is a good starting point. Last point is exercise. Don't put too much stress on their joints at a young age. Ie, don't run them too much, have them jump too much, etc. Keep the exercise low impact at this stage.

I recommend feeding your pup from a Long Wobler, as they can tend to eat fast. You can find them on Amazon here https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ALMW0M/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496502891&sr=8-1&keywords=kong+wobbler

I recommend brushing out their fur with a rake and Kong Zoom Groom. You can also find them on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0062Z0RPA/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496502790&sr=8-3&keywords=dog+rake+brush and https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002AR19Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496502846&sr=8-1&keywords=zoom+groom&dpPl=1&dpID=51QkRAxrf0L&ref=plSrch

I would highly recommend crate training. It's one of the best things you could do for your dog. I like the Midwest 48" crate here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000QFWCLY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496503032&sr=8-1&keywords=midwest%2Bicrate%2Bfolding%2Bmetal%2Bdog%2Bcrate&th=1&psc=1

Let me know if you have any questions!

Just the obvious, even it and wait until it grows back.

Regarding the sheltie summer trim question, you aren't really supposed to trim their coats, the hair protects them from overheating and getting sunburns, is my understanding.

I have used undercoat rakes with great success on my shelties though, have you tried those?

I have used this one on Amazon. I use it after I bathe my dogs, once their coat is dry. The warm water is supposed to loosen the undercoat, so the undercoat rake will take more out. One year I swear I had enough fur to make another dog, and my female with the thickest coat looked like she lost 10 pounds after I finished. Of course it took an hour.

why not a puzzle feeder?

there are a few types. I had a ball that would twist apart then you put the food in then twist it together. and there is a small hole for the food to come out. so the dog pushes it around the floor with their nose trying to get food out.

http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Kibble-Nibble-Dispensing-Medium/dp/B001F0RRUA?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_lmf_img_1

edit: ohh maybe not suitable for some dogs

as the lowest review

>within 30 minutes of playing with it our dog took it onto his bed & figured out how to unscrew the 2 halves of the egg


edit2: i will say there are some that do not twist apart. and i had trouble putting food in any that do not twist apart.

:( That does sound hectic. My registry is kinda all over the place because I've already bought a ton of stuff, but just some suggestions of some things (FTM so no idea really if these are good or not, some were recommendations from friends, some were recommendations from various online resources).

• car seat, extra base if you have more than one car, and stroller
  
• baby carrier - I got the ergobaby 360 with infant insert but the Lillebaby 360 is also super popular.
  
• swaddles - aden & anais seem to be hugely popular.
  
• bathing supplies - washcloths, bathtub
  
• first aid kit supplies - NoseFrida, nail clipper, thermometer
  
• feeding - bottles, sterilizer (some people told me I had to have it, some said it was totally unnecessary), bottle cleaner brush, drying rack (seems like everyone else loves the Boon grass, but I don't have the counter space!) You can get a pump through your insurance if you plan to breastfeed, I ordered mine through Aeroflow. I ultimately chose the Spectra S2 over the Medela PISA because it's a closed system, which apparently means less chances of bacteria getting into the system and thus easier cleaning.
  
• burp clothes - I was told to just get a ton of cloth diapers to use as burp clothes, and to have them everywhere.
  
• diaper pail - I have two friends who say this is good enough, so I went with it. They also said to use doggie poop bags to contain the smelly diapers.
  
• humidifier
  
• Boppy for nursing
  
• Backpack style diaper bag
  
• baby may need a more convenient place to be set down other than the crib, something you can have near you in the kitchen, shower, whatever. Popular options are the rock n play, Boppy lounger, or a pack 'n play. I plan on getting the Chicco FastAsleep pack 'n play because the crib/dresser/changing station is on our 2nd floor, so I figured this could double as a changing station/napper on the first floor.
  
  Lucie's List is probably the best resource I found online.

Pet Playpen Animal Fence Cage - Tespo... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

It comes with lots of panels so you can set up a large area!

Kong Balls last forever. I don't think they make any that squeak, though.

Found you protective sleeves for your collection:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Waste-Bags-Dispenser-Leash/dp/B00NABTGY2/ref=zg_bs_3052413011_1/161-7608045-2811318?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0T278688AFMBDDK174J4

Or you can buy 900 on Amazon for 14 bucks at 1.6 cents a bag.

See this duck here? https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000084E7Y/ref=psd_mlt_bc_B000084E7Y this duck has amazingly survived my dog since she was a puppy through her teething. He's her favorite toy and even though the constant squeaking makes me tear my hair out I'm glad she has at least one toy that she can chew and dig her teeth into and not have it fall apart. It's not even soft anymore and we've washed it dozens of times.

Try this. I had one and it worked great. Neighbors will just think it is a decoration.


PetSafe Outdoor Ultrasonic Bark Deterrent, Up to 50 ft. Range, Outdoor Use Only, No Collar Needed


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UZNLGA/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_q5lZCb29D2G22

We did so much polite behavior training yesterday. Kirin did downs and sits while waiting for dogs, scooters, etc to pass! We had a funny moment with this guy watching us train and then he joined us for like 5 mins of our walk asking about him and the breed 😂. That was new for me ..

PS my American peeps the treat and train is on SUPER SALE on Amazon. $63+ tax! Ours gets here today which we bought off a friend and I'm so exited to use it for mat work!

PetSafe Treat & Train Manners Minder Remote Reward Dog Trainer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0010B8CHG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PpDPDbPE2XATX

Haven't done the math...he eats 7 cups of this per day:

http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Wild-Prairie-Formula-30-Pound/dp/B000W5SLB8

Will eat a little less when he is older.

Chuckit Ultraballs

http://www.amazon.com/ChuckIt-Medium-Ultra-2-5-Inch-2-Pack/dp/B000F4AVPA

They have xl 3.5 inches and xxl 4 inches for larger breeds.

Kong Solid Rubber Ball

http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Extreme-Ball-Medium-Large/dp/B004VBC0SY

Bounces like a super ball.

If you have time, get one of these. Works great, easy to install/remove.

Another non-squeaky, but my guy can kill a standard toy in (literal) seconds but can't hurt the black Kong toys. He'll definitely put dents in them, but he has yet to damage one to the extent that we would have had to take it away from him.

Try the following toys:

1. Elk antler
   
   
2. kong durable ball
   
   
3. kong durable tug toy
   
   
4. kong tough soft chew toy

A good girl like that deserves a porthole https://www.amazon.com/PetPeek-Fence-Window-for-Pets/dp/B00BHBJPHA

For serious dog peaking: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BHBJPHA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rbW6ybP3494ZQ

While you're working on the separation anxiety, you can address the barking behavior itself with a training tool.

https://www.amazon.com/DOGTEK-Sonic-Control-Outdoor-Indoor/dp/B00ESMUWS6

most pet stores are similiar in price and supply choice. Pet Value tends to be a bit higher, but otherwise all the box stores are around the same. Costco is great for larger dog beds. Amazon is truly your best bet for most pet supplies, especially poop bags. I bout these two years ago, have two dogs and am maybe half way through them.

This is the one I use.

Edit: fixed link

https://www.amazon.com/Tespo-Playpen-Portable-Plastic-Transparent/dp/B06XTG94TH

It's modular and easy to assemble, I love it!

They don't have squeakers but I've had good success with rope toys. Not all dogs like rope toys, and some dogs shred them, if your dog shreds them then they shouldn't be allowed to play with them. For dogs that just chew the rope and try to untie the knots, I've had them last 5 or 6 months. An XL 3-knot like this could work (I usually get the large for a 40 - 60lb dog).

If you really like squeaky toys, you might try duckworth (the yellow one). There's nothing special about the materials or construction of this toy (meaning he'd delicate) of but for reasons I do not understand dogs that have destroyed all squeaky toys at my house have played with duckworth without damaging him. If you do try this, cut off that black thing on his head. He didn't have that when I bought him, but if he did I think it would be his undoing.

Overall though, I don't think dog toys are BIFL items. They're generally pretty inexpensive and given that your dog's jaws are strong, their teeth are fragile and you expect them to use their strong jaws and fragile teeth to chew on the toy, it's just not a recipe for a long lasting toy (or the toy lasts but the dog's teeth don't, which isn't a win overall).

Hey, I've got a Great Dane who has really short hair. For him we us a zoom groom which is a kinda medium-soft rubber brush. It works pretty well for him, and I would imagine it wouldn't be too painful for any dog. Ours has lasted a pretty long time too (over 2 years) so they're also pretty durable.

It's called an undercoat rake.. I made this video for OP after he (or she) asked for a comparison between the rake and a furminator:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGbdNySlfQk

Here is the pictured rake: http://www.amazon.com/Oster-Professional-Grooming-Undercoat-Coarse/dp/B00061MWJ0

I am currently working with a fear-aggressive dog. The absolute best thing to do is find a positive trainer who is experienced with this. Do not punish the barking, any negative reinforcement will increase the anxiety your dog feels. You want to move her to a distance where she feels safe and have someone come in, give her treats if (and only if she stays calm.) You need to try to find a distance where she is not too aroused. Have a friend come and stand by the door if thats what you need, then once she is calm have them jiggle the door knob, etc. If that is too much you can start by rewarding her for staying calm for noises outside. You can also practice giving her a cue to lie down on her mat before ever having anyone over.

Another helpful trick is "go home" once you get cricket to the point where she is comfortable when people enter if she is far from the door you can train her to go to her mat on cue, so that you can tell her to go to her safe spot when people come over. A relaxed down (stretched or on her side) is even better than sphinx style. She will learn that when people are over and she is on her mat she gets treats, otherwise she gets nothing.

To do this teach her 'down' and then have her lie on her mat. Every time she does this say "good go home!" once she has gotten the cue that "go home" is the same as down when she is on her mat, move two feet away and try again. This will take some patience, she may not understand immediately that "go home" means she needs to go to her mat. Just wait, if you get too frustrated you can move closer. Slowly increase the distance you are from the mat when you tell her "go home." It will help to give her the "go home" cue and then feed her on her mat. My dog gets super excited about it now. It can also help to have the manners minder so you can reward from a distance.

I would also suggest Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt. Particularly the "look at that!" game - where you teach your pup that whenever she looks at what she is afraid of she gets a treat.

Another excellent book is On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals by Turid Ragaas it's a really easy read and a really good introduction to doggy behavior. When dogs get nervous they have a whole range of signals they show to calm themselves down and to tell other dogs (or educated people) that they are nervous. You may see her flick her tongue, yawn, shake, sniff the ground, etc. You should reward these behaviors, since encouraging them will help Cricket stay calm.

Obviously I could go on and on. The main thing is try to make people coming over as good an experience as possible for her so that she becomes less and less afraid. You will also need a reward marker - for instance "Yes!" or preferably a clicker. The idea is you click exactly when she does something good. She lays down click. She yawns click. Yes! is somewhat less precise and it's undesirable to have inflections that she will try to interpret. Obviously teach her what these markers mean before using them in the stressful situation. (click then treat, click treat, Cricket! click when she looks then treat, etc.)

EDIT:

One more thing - be sure to completely ignore her barking. Do not try to comfort her, or give her treats. In fact the best thing to do is have your friend stand there and let her tire herself out. As soon as she stops and takes a breath reward her (a clicker is really useful here.) You can even have the friend move farther away when she stops. The idea is "barking gets you nothing, calm gets you everything." Obviously do your best to limit the times when she triggers, but they will inevitably happen

Good luck!

Oh, and there is a very low traffic dogtraining subreddit where dog nerds like me will be happy to go on long training rants for you any time :-)

Barking

The trick is not to reward silence after barking, but to shape not barking in the first place. Is your dog reacting to a stimuli? It sounds like he is barking for attention, not as a reaction to a trigger. A better approach would be to shape desired behavior and redirect to a different behavior before rewarding if the dog barks. Try doing place/mat training and focusing on shaping desired behaviors instead of reacting to bad ones. Really focus on offering lots of attention BEFORE the bad behavior starts and set them up on very short duration to practice being quiet (and doing the new desired behavior, like laying on a mat) before reinforcing. If the dog barks, it is very important to completely ignore them (no yelling, no eye contact). In the beginning, you may only offer a simple cue and reward them for doing something ELSE, and use that to build up and add duration to alternative behaviors rather than barking. Simply rewarding NOT barking doesn't teach them what to do instead (the game can easily become "bark then stop to get food"). Try having other people reward the dog randomly with praise, attention or small treats throughout the day. Try to randomize duration and frequency/type of rewards as soon as possible!

It will ALSO be very important to ensure the dog is getting plenty of exercise and stimulation. What is your exercise routine, currently? In addition to daily walks, add in conditioning work and be sure to train new behaviors regularly (tricks, sports, obedience, drill known skills, proof in different situations, etc). You should be spending at least 60-90 minutes every day working and exercising with your dog. JUST walks are usually not enough for a corgi. If you can build up a good routine between desired indoor behavior and plenty of exercise, you will likely see improvement with barking within a few weeks.

Seeing as this is a new dog to you, I'd strongly encourage enrolling in a training class with them and doing at least 2-3 levels of obedience with them, even if your dog know basic obedience already.

There are tips for doing this on the dog training wiki. See :

• Calmness and Relaxation
  
• ABCs of behavior modification
  
• Teach "Go to Bed" with free shaping
  
• Training Basics
  
  
  Waking up routine + Crate problems
  
  This is a routine for her now, so this will likely be the hardest one to work through. You need to do counter conditioning to improve her relationship with her crate and work up to having a good routine around using it at night (and other times during the day). The crate should be a NORMAL routine place, NOT a place for punishment! Never use a crate for 'time out' if the dog already has negative associations with parts of the crate experience! Here is a resource on crate training, you may want to revisit this from the beginning and blend it with place training to help reduce stress/anxiety with the crate.
  
  Ensure she is getting more exercise throughout the day to make it easier for her to sleep. Create a routine about getting up and modify the routine slowly over time to arrive at your final desired behavior. This is really common for training young puppies. An example is : Get up 15 minutes before your dog typically starts barking. Put them on leash. Take them outside on leash. Bring them back inside and put them back to bed (typically back in their crate or back in a controlled area where they sleep). Reward them for laying in bed quietly. Generally you would just let the dog whine and totally ignore them (no eye contact, no speaking, no gestured, nothing), but if you cannot deal with that, you can stay up and use this as an opportunity to work on your quiet alternative behaviors. There are also devices like the manners minder that can be a good tool for these types of scenarios. Over time (think a few weeks of establishing a routine), very gradually start to push back the time you get your dog up by a few minutes. This will take a few months, but is typically how young puppies can be trained to have better morning routines. Management of behavior, shaping of desired behavior, and redirection away from undesired behavior will be key when working through this.
  
  You may be better off starting with group classes at a reputable, positive reinforcement focused training club. Your problems revolve more around a dog lacking manners, routine, boredom, and good ways of asking for what it wants than anything else. A basic obedience course or two will help you build a better working relationship with your dog and likely give you many of the skills you will need to start working through these problems. Your trainer can also help answer questions and give you tips about specific behaviors you are struggling with. Most training classes will range between $80-200 for 4-8 weeks, depending on where you live, who th class is with and the duration of the class.
  
  
  Working through all of this will take time and I recommend breaking up these behaviors into very specific sets of circumstances to work on it. You want to work on changing the dogs reaction to a specific trigger (whatever that trigger is).
  
  Good luck!

I'm not entirely sure why the cooing at toys would work. I feel like this is just anthropomorphizing the toy and your dog's "understanding" of the situation. If it is actually working for you, it's probably the fact that you are taking away the toy from her, letting her settle, and then returning it when her energy level/fixation are more in check. The "gentle" cue is definitely nice to teach, but it is probably working due to your addition/subtraction of reinforcer. That being said, "gentle" is a tough thing to teach some high energy dogs so props to you.

Also, the exercise thing is a great point. If you exhaust your pup with a good run or hour at the park they will be far less destructive in the house. Physical stimulation and mental stimulation need to go hand in hand, and one should not replace the other.

Just a point to bring up: if your (OP's) dog is chewing things like wires, socks, etc. he probably has a lot of opportunity to do so. How are you managing his environment - supervision levels, puppy-proofing, movement throughout the house, restriction when unsupervised (crating), etc? You need to minimize or eliminate as many possibilities for your dog to "mess up" as possible and set them up for success. For example, make sure he is in "puppy proofed" rooms with all foreign objects picked up off the floor and is provided with appropriate outlets for his energy (Kongs, stuffed bones, etc). A six month old puppy probably should not have free run of the house just yet, especially since he is most likely still teething and is still learning appropriate outlets for chewing. Slowly increase his freedom once he has learned these things. Start by keeping him in one or two rooms, gated off, and slowly increase his freedom once he learns more appropriate behaviors and has matured a bit more. Am I suggesting condemning your dog to a room for life? Absolutely not. You just have to manage his environment as much as possible and eliminate possibilities for him to fail.

It would also be worth investing in some brain toys to drain more energy, such as Wobble Kongs, Busy Buddy feeders, Buster Food Cubes, etc. In fact, feeding his meals exclusively out of these toys rather than a bowl would be a great opportunity to mentally stimulate him and drain more energy. Just make sure you supervise him as some of these toys could definitely be torn up if left unattended.

Just some food for thought. Hope you found this helpful! :)

Edit: Some products I've found helpful.

Brain toys for feeding:

• Kong Wobbler for meal times. Pretty durable and my guy can't figure out how to open it. Loves eating out of this thing, even if it was simple for him to figure out. My lab took weeks to get it though. Regardless, great brain-toy.
  
  
• Buster food cube for dispensing. Pretty difficult to figure out.
  
  
• Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble egg: My guys LOVE this, although the plastic just cracked on the inside after a few months. Can definitely be torn apart if left alone but super stimulating and engaging. Worth it!
  
  
• Tug a Jug for keeping them busy when you need to do something else. Durable bottle that gets scratched up. Ours is a few months in and still kicking.
  
  Chew toys:
  
  
• Kong XL for stuffing with RB, wet food, boiled chicken, etc. Strong than the regular red Kongs. Can also be frozen which increases the difficulty and time needed to get the food inside. have several I rotate out and they are basically the same shape as the day I bought them, which is impressive as my pup is a monster chewer.
  
  
• Filled thigh bones are pretty nice. They last as a while and can be rinsed and restuffed if the bone is still in good shape. Watch out, though - some brands are more prone to cracking and splintering while others last for ever. Trial and error basis. I can't remember the brand I use that works well but it's carried at my local Farmer Supply store (I find the bones and toys at these places to generally be better quality and also cheaper than chain pet stores).
  
  
• Meaty thigh bones are marrow filled and still have some "meat" on the exterior. They tend to last longer than the washed filled variety (above) and are "stinkier" and (I would imagine?) tastier. My guys prefer these to the plain bones since there are more goodies to get at. Downside is that they are a little stinkier at first and can possibly leave a mess, so make sure the dog is eating it on a towel.
  
  
• Bully sticks! Make sure they are real beef tendons though. Many companies make pressed rawhide varieties to resemble the real tendons but rawhide is, IMO, less safe for dogs. Last a while and smell like bacon but made my stomach a little queasy. Dogs go nuts for them though.
  
  
• Jolly Ball - not necessarily a chew toy but lasts a long time. Their teeth can penetrate the ball but the design is such that the ball doesn't pop. I had the variety with the rope that went through the center. The rope came off pretty quickly but the ball itself is still kicking. It is challenging to pick it up when playing fetch so he is less interested in tearing it to pieces than retrieving. It's poked through with holes but is the only ball that has lasted this long. Still going. Maybe worth checking out.

I've been using this instead of a bowl...

She binkies every time I go to put it down. Helps to keep her brain thinking too. Took her a few days to figure it out but she loves it now. It also slows down her eating so she doesn't just inhale the pellets.

I play the hiding game with my dog. I hide treats all over the house, and then I let him loose to find them. Keeps him busy for 15 minutes. Gives him a chance to sniff around and find things, and he gets to be a "hunter" for a little while. My family read about the game in a newspaper article a long time ago, and we've been playing the game with all the dogs in the family since then.

Also look for treat toys. This one (http://amzn.com/B003YHB8EI) from Amazon has been keeping my dog busy for the past couple years. He never grows tired of it.

Here is the link to the exact one. I think Wilson used an x small but now he would definitely be a small. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0045Y1JGG/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

I've used one that is like a pillow you bring on a flight; my dog wore it for months 24/7 and didn't mind at all - he had a built-in pillow at all times (although he's always been a world-class napper). It's an inflatable pillow with a washable soft cover, all secured by Velcro (which wears down easily, but it's so inexpensive, I would just replace it).

I have a destructive chewer - she just enjoys dismantling things. So when I was at my sister's house and Pepper chewed on her dog's Kong toy for a half hour without leaving a single mark, I went out and bought two. Not all of them can stand up to her, but the Kong extreme toys like this one do.

My lab/pit Ella can't go to dog parks either as she's leash reactive (so like, actually getting her to the dog park is the issue) but she's young so she has craaaazy energy! We feed her both of her meals in either her kong wobbler or her "magic mushroom", we switch it up on her a lot so she doesn't get bored of the same puzzle feeder over and over. She's a pretty heavy chewer and hasn't been able to destroy either one!

We also freeze kongs for her pretty much every day, we'll put cottage cheese (her favorite) or broth with some cut up apples in it. Like I said earlier, she's a power chewer! So this keeps her mouth busy. She also gets beef trachea, nylabones, Himalayan chews and bully sticks. Chewing wears her out because she stays so focused.

The other thing we do is looooots of mental stimulation. We play hide and seek in the house, we'll hide her toys for her to find them, we do lots and lots of training, and we just try our hardest to make her use her brain! Our trainer once said 15 minutes of training is equal to 45 minutes of running in terms of exhaustion, so we've taken that and rolled with it lol.

ETA: here's a link to the magic mushroom on amazon! https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Buddy-Mushroom-Dispensing-Medium/dp/B00520EJXW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506283184&sr=8-1&keywords=magic+mushroom+dog+toy

Get him brushed by a professional to get his coat looking perfect and then you can do it yourself to maintain it. Just be sure to let the groomer know that he/she shouldn’t trim or shave any of his fur. You’d be surprised at how many groomers don’t know how to groom double coated dogs.

Edit: Here’s a list of all the tools I use to groom my pup.

1. Slicker Brush
   
   
2. Metal Comb
   
   
3. Undercoat Rake
   
   
4. Another Brush
   
   
5. High Velocity Blower (for when he blows his coat)
   
   
   Edit #2: Was going through my amazon purchase history to see if I could suggest any other grooming products and came across the furminator purchase I made. Never buy one of those things, regardless of how highly rated it is on amazon. It cuts through your dogs coat instead of removing the loose fur. Stick to the rake I linked above.

My belgian pup is 11 weeks :D So welcome to the family!

For grooming you're going to want:

• Long tooth undercoat rake
  
  
• Comb
  
  
• Slicker Brush
  
  
• Porcupine Brush
  
  I would not use a furminator, it will cut the coat and give a rough look to the dog.

Here is what you are talking about.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BHBJPHA/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_10?smid=AEH62CPT6DO5N&psc=1

Also, there are [devices] (http://www.amazon.com/DOGTEK-BirdHouse-Control-Outdoor-Indoor/dp/B00ESMUWS6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1427613631&sr=8-2&keywords=ultrasonic+bird+house+bark+stop) that you can put in your yard that will emit the ultrasonic warning if you have problematic neighbors' dogs. They respond to loud noises (like barking, or you yelling "go away!"). Unfortunately, they will also affect your dog, if you have one.

Here's something you might try. I know this has worked for a friend before. You just put this up in a tree or something pointed towards your neighbors back yard. Just a thought.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ESMUWS6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1425834033&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&keywords=dog+barking+control+devices&dpPl=1&dpID=41B6eCGcRIL&ref=plSrch

Both my pup have been road tripping since they were 8 weeks so keep that in mind. We also recently moved from East to West coast with our pups which meant a pretty long road trip (3 14 hour days). Since yours is use to the car a 4 hour road trip shouldn't be a problem as long as he doesn't get car sick.

So make sure you have a copy of vet records (at least proof of shots) with you. A dog first aid kit is good to keep on hand, [I have this one in my car] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CL0PB9W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gXwdBbKKGXYPY). To prevent car sickness make sure they don't eat an hour or two prior to the trip. Benedryl makes them sleep (1mg per lb) so it can help if they're anxious. Also have your vet's phone number on hand as well as a 24hr emergency clinc for the area you'll be in.

For the ride itself, I stop about every 2-4 hours (whenever I get gas) or if they are acting like they need a potty. They ride in the back seat on a car hammock. I cover it with blankets too for comfort and easy clean up for accidents. It's also suggested to buckle up your dog with a car safe harness, I really only do this if one is riding in the front seat.

For hotels, I like staying with la Quinta but BringFido is a good resource for finding hotels and activities you can do with your dog. When we were in a hotel, we used chairs to block of the area immedietly by the door since our pups would bark when people were loud in the halls. We also left the TV running to help cover up random noises they heard to help prevent barking.

Make sure you bring toys, blankets, treats, water and extra food. Nothing sucks more than trying to find your dog food while you're in a new area. Also would recommend bringing an extra leash and collar just in case.

If you have any specific questions or anything I can sure help.

I use a Tespo Pet Playpen ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH/). I have been extemely happy with it for the last year and a half. It has held up very well and it was worth what I spent on it. There are others similar and a bit cheaper if you look around, as well.

A good cage is the biggest investment. I'd suggest a metal cage with bars that are spaced no wider than 1/2" apart. 7 to 8 cubic feet of interior space is a decent starting size for a pair of rats but bigger is always better. There are lots of cages on the market and they vary depending on your country. You could make a specific post to get cage suggestions. Avoid purchasing directly from pet stores as the selection isn't always very good, some of the cages they sell are downright inappropriate for rats, and online sources often have much better prices.

Not all vets see rats so you'll want to do some research on exotics vets in your area before getting rats. Vet care is often no cheaper for rats than it is for larger animals so be prepared to spend some money if/when your rats get sick. In my area, an exam (just to walk through the door) is $60-70 USD, with any medicine treatment in addition to that. I expect to spend around $300 per rat on vet care over the course of their short lives. Some rats may not need this much, others may require much more.

Food isn't too expensive, maybe $5-15 per rat per month. Toys and cage accessories can be dirt cheap/free. You definitely don't need to buy fancy huts and hammocks from the pet store when your rats will be just as happy with junk from the recycle bin or scraps of old clothes. General care costs can vary depending on your preferences. Between food, bedding, etc., you're maybe looking at $15 to $50 a month for a pair of rats.

You'll want to figure out some sort of out-of-cage play area for your rats. Rats are very curious and can get into everything. They can also be very destructive. Some people carefully rat-proof a room and others purchase or construct enclosed playpens for their rats. Keeping them and your home safe is something to consider before getting rats. I've had rats that have chewed holes in my couch, clothes, bedding, they've gnawed on furniture and woodwork, destroyed countless earbuds/charging cables, etc.

I agree with all of this.

The neck donut collars are tolerated SO much better than the cones. Most dogs get overwhelmed by the cone and will shut down. The donut is more like a travel pillow that conveniently prevents licking.

You want to find a veterinary behaviorist, NOT a regular trainer. This is past what a trainer is educated for and is a medical issue.

We got one of these inflatable Elizabethan collars for our pup. It worked perfectly and we could still snuggle comfortably. He could eat easier and he didn't knock as much stuff off the table.

KONG Cloud E-Collar, Dog Collar, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045Y1JGG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CjTXzbNFGJY89

This comment might help you out.

I don't know that we have a favorite. I like the the Omega treat ball or Snoop if I need a quieter toy (I have neighbors below me, so that's what she gets in the morning). When some noise is acceptable, I like the Magic Mushroom or the Bob-a-lot, they're both adjustable. I also really like Tug-a-jug because it's a bit different than the others, it's not something she can just roll around to get the food out. But I know some dogs would chew the rope to pieces so it wouldn't work very well for them.

they're really great. Scout KILLS antlers, I won't even buy them anymore, they're not worth the cost to chew time ratio. And she turns up her nose at the wood chew toys.... Also if you haven't tried kong wobblers, and/or mushroom dog toys, I would recommend them!

We have stopped using our furminator because we feel like it's too rough on his skin. A combination of a paddle, thin bristled brush with a rake-like brush has worked wonders! Trying to stay on top of the hair this year as he sheds his winter coat.

https://www.amazon.com/Coastal-Pet-Undercoat-Designed-Undercoats/dp/B0083TSC64/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1519734351&sr=8-9&keywords=rake+brush

https://www.amazon.com/Rotatable-Footprint-Paddle-Grooming-Suitable/dp/B01FCTG7TQ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1519734368&sr=8-8&keywords=paddle+dog+brush

Just to add my two cents, I've found the Furminator removes a lot of fuzz but it's uncomfortable for the pup and may remove too much of their undercoat.

Ideally, you want something that removes loose clumps and de-tangles knots. The dogs shed plenty on their own, your brushing should just keep their coats clean and silky.

My aussies' favorite brush is this Safari undercoat rake. It's way cheaper than the $50 Furminator, removes a ton of fuzz, and it's much easier to brush with. The teeth don't poke or tug so my guys love it, they'll even roll over and ask for extra brushies, something they've never done with wire-toothed or Furminator-style brushes.

that's a good reason. btw, there's also this thing if you ever want to get fancy

Here you go

Here.

Not OP, but I’ve eyed this on Amazon forever. I’m not sure if it’s the same one but it’s very similar.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hcD2CbPRDAYZT

We use this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XTG94TH?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Hi! We adopted a four/five-year-old frenchie a few months ago and have had great success getting her yeast infections, fur, and overall health under control. She was in literally the same situation before she was rescued.

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Our vet prescribed us ketoconazole wipes, which you can get on amazon (for less than the vet price! and it's the same thing!). These have done wonders for her face, paws, and bottom end. If he has yeast on his feet, he probably has it in his tail crease as well. At first, we were going through a pack of these every 3 weeks. Yikes. You can find them here: https://www.amazon.com/Mal-Wipes-Support-Healthy-Dechra/dp/B01IO9563E/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia?hvadid=178372316526&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9002006&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10651630771226582108&hvtargid=aud-647006051489%3Akwd-33682989493&keywords=mal-a+ket+wipes&pd_rd_i=B01IO9563E&pd_rd_r=17b03f45-b65a-4d10-915a-5f2d282f3f38&pd_rd_w=LhGqy&pd_rd_wg=7jM7d&pf_rd_p=23754a30-606a-4e0a-ba42-b43d14507217&pf_rd_r=NP7E26CJCVV82H56D8V6&qid=1554385994&s=gateway

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She came to us on a grain free diet but the vet put her on a grain-included diet for her heart murmur. We give her Honest Kitchen food and it's been working incredibly well. If you want to remain grain-free, they have an option for that. I linked her favorite flavor. Her tear stains have been clearing up, coat is all shiny, and yeast is more manageable since switching from kibble to this. Also, they have a great intro offer on prime. https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/meals/dehydrated-grain-free/dehydrated-grain-free-chicken-dog-food

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Our Phoebe is big for a frenchie (30-35 lbs) and loves walks. She and I do 3-4 miles a day. She also loves to go for hikes and once a week will do a short run. People will tell you that these are "lethargic apartment dogs" but it completely depends on the particular dog. As yours gets healthier, his energy level will increase a lot.

​

Also, Phoebe loves clothes. She did not have clothes before us. She will pick out a shirt to wear if I give her options. Her favorites are the Hanna Anderson dog pajamas (here: https://www.hannaandersson.com/discontinued-product/50902-AH1.html?dwvar_50902-AH1_color=AH1&cgid=). I think it's because the fabric is super soft. She also wears sweaters when it's cold, and will pick out which one she wants to wear. She has learned how to help get herself dressed.

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Frenchies should wear harnesses, not collars, because of their lack of defined neck and general lack of skill at breathing. If you're looking to spend money, the canada pooch ones are double adjustable and comfortable. Before she got that one as a special present, she had this one that my parents' beagle used to wear. She loved it, but the elastic was getting old! link here: https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-EasySport-Harness-Adjustable-Reflective/dp/B00HY6TFKE/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=dog+harness+with+handle&qid=1554386488&s=gateway&sr=8-7

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Phoebe loves her toys and is a big chewer. Strong mouth. The toys that have held up best to her are these strange platypus ducks https://www.amazon.com/Multipet-Large-Dog-Toy-Yellow/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=duck+dog+toy&qid=1554386781&s=gateway&sr=8-3 and her trash panda, which she picked out at home depot https://www.homedepot.com/p/Loonies-Raccoon-54021/307751080.

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I have lots of opinions and recommendations so feel free to ask me questions! I love to talk about Phoebe. You can also follow her on instagram at @phoebephilothefrenchie.

I find that a fur rake works better and is cheaper, I've used them on Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and Huskies to great success.

They really don't need to be cut. All that fur is important to them, especially during the summer because of insects and sunburn. You just need to spend some time cleaning out the undercoat. You want to use something like a 'undercoat grooming' rake. This will take quite a bit of time. After this you'll want to do just go back over with a slicker brush/or comb.

If your dog has mats (mine get mats around flanks) then you'll want to apply some dematting spray and then use a dematting comb.

This will help a lot in keeping your derglet cool.

Trimming around flanks, ears, etc is fine. I get my dogs butt flanks trimmed a lot because poop.

I have heard good things about this training club: http://www.sicdtc.org/
They appear not to offer private lessons, but perhaps you could call and see if you can get any kind of referral to a positive reinforcement trainer who will be able to come to your home. Failing that, their basic obedience classes might be enough to help you, particularly because there will be other people in the class, who might participate in reinforcing the no jumping, no mouthing behavior. Is this specific to guests in your home or does she do this with strangers outside as well?

I agree with /u/SuffragettePizza that board and trains are usually at best ineffective (because dogs don't generalize training well as he/she points out) and at worst harmful if the trainers use harsh methods you don't agree with - I would be particularly concerned about this with a muscled larger dog because there is some perception that these types of dogs need to be "forced into submission" and "only shocks and corrections work," etc. If you lose the argument with your dad and absolutely must use a board-and-train, Instinct Dog Training in Harlem uses only positive reinforcement in their board-and-train program. It would be a real trek for you, but I'd hate if you sent Genie elsewhere where they shocked her every time she jumped :(. This could make her go from being over excited to aggressive.

Here are some suggestions for the jumping behavior.

Do not let her practice this behavior. Jumping and mouthing is self-reinforcing so every time she does it, she gets rewarded for it and it becomes more likely that she will repeat this behavior in the future. If you do not wish to train her or work with her when particular guests come over, put her in a different room or contain her in some other way: crate her or tether her to her bed or mat and give her a chew toy to work on while your guests are present. Occasionally give her treats for remaining calm in the presence of guests.

I initially used the Treat and Train, which was specifically invented to reinforce calmness around guests. It's expensive, but not as expensive as several training sessions, and if you follow the dvd's instructions, it really does work, although it's a bit large and clunky and occasionally jams. I believe there are other treat dispensing machines out there so you can do more research into which one is the best one. I would actually pay the $100 just for the dvd that comes with the Treat and Train though because it has some really solid, comprehensive, easy to understand training videos especially tailored for overexcited jumpy dogs.

When you have guests who are able and willing to participate in training, keep her on a leash when they enter and prevent her from jumping on them or mouthing them. Tell your guests to complete ignore her, even turn their back on her, when she jumps and only pet her when she's sitting or lying down. To speed up this process, you can keep a jar of treats by the door and have the guest place the treat on the floor at their feet so Genie is forced to keep her head down to eat the treat as she gets petted. Here is a Kikopup video demonstrating this concept: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC_OKgQFgzw. Depending on how willing you are to act like a crazy person, you can practice this with one of your family members first to make it easier for Genie so she starts to understand what behavior is expected of her before a real exciting guest arrives. So, like, you could have your dad ring the bell, and then enter and pretend to greet everyone just as a guest would.

Sorry for the novel, hope this helps!

I've just received the treat and train. I haven't used it yet, but the dvd that comes with it addresses the barking-at-the-door issue using the remote food dispenser. It's a device that beeps and emits treats and it comes with detailed foolproof instructions on how to teach your dog to settle on a mat when someone walks in the door. It might be something to look into if your dog is food motivated.

Hi!

My chi’s LOVE food puzzle games. We got our teacup an IQ ball on amazon and she rolls that thing around - it gets her some activity, feeds her, and she uses her brain. My bigger chi likes this one

Maybe that will help?

My dog loves this puzzle toy. But really any puzzle toy with a treat associated will do. They love having a task to break up the boredom.

puzzle toy

If you have an Alexa enabled device with voice ordering enabled you can get $1.75 off a squeaky toy.

Deal info:

http://i.imgur.com/zc9sVMH.png

Source:

https://www.amazon.com/b?node=16924218011

Product page:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000084E7Y

It looks like Duckworth?

I love my zoom groom! I have a greyhound who also sheds regularly, and she appears to see it as a massage, while all the hair gets brushed out and left outside. I usually rub it in circles to get the most hair out at once.

I'm in agreement with /u/curigcorgis. A Furminator can cut and break the undercoat furs if you comb too vigorously and too often. That's not something I'm willing to risk, so while I have a Furminator (purchased before I knew any better) I don't ever use it on my corgi.

A Kong Zoom Groom plus a steel greyhound comb is more than enough to deal with loose fur. The Zoom Groom is a rubber brush and is outrageously effective in getting loose fur out. It also doubles as a good shampoo latherer. After, I then comb away the loose furs that the zoom groom caused.

Another great tool is a high velocity blow dryer. Think of it like a hair dryer on crack. Or a shop vac in reverse. It's been a game changer for us after baths and is a must have to deal with heavy shedding times.

• Dishes: should be stainless steel and washed every time you use them. I feed raw in big, frozen chunks which slow my dog down.
  
• Collars: I don't trust the little 3/4" plastic slide release buckles on most collars. Depending on the material they have a 100-200lb breaking strength and can be brittle in the cold. Fine for a little dog, but my 130lb guy gets a 2" double layer leather with welded steel hardware AKA an agitation collar. This Collar is incredibly well made and a great value. In regards to your opinion on "shock collars" - remote stimulation collars are very effective training tools when used properly. The idea is not to cause pain, it's to use it at a stimulation level that your dog barely notices and train him that that sensation means you want his attention. I use mine at a level that just barely tingles the back of my hand and can recall my dog when he's out of earshot. I can also use it to get his attention when off leash in noisy areas and give him hand signals. I use the vibrate function like one would use a clicker - to mark behavior that I want to encourage. Granted, most people use them totally incorrectly.
  
• Leash: I use a 3/4" by 5' biothane leash. It's strong, grippy and has a O-ring on the handle for tying your dog to a parking meter, etc. Retractable leashes aren't allowed under my local leash laws (though many people still use them). I hate them. You are not 100% in control of your dog unless it is locked and at that point, you might as well use a regular leash.
  
• Toys: Tuffy's Mega Ring last decently well for a soft toy. My dog goes through kong extremes in a week and most "indestructible" toys in a matter of minutes or hours. For me, it's all about cheap toys. If you can train your dog not to swallow bits that he rips off, mine loves big, orange, traffic cones which you can pick up for $2.
  
• Crates: Depends on the dog. Mine can be alone at home for 16 hours and not "investigate" the garbage, bark, or get into any trouble at all. We've trained him to open the door and relieve himself in a corner of our patio if he needs to. He also gets 2 hours of vigorous off-leash exercise every morning and an hour walk in the evening - he's all about a nice quiet day on the couch.
  
• Brushes: Not a fan of the furminator - it cuts hair, not brushes it. The sticky silicone Kong ZoomGroom is great at pulling off loose hair/undercoat.

KONG ZoomGroom, Dog Grooming Brush, Boysenberry https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AR19Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_m9Jyxb3YCT21J
This works amazingly. I know it's not conventional, but I use it on my short hair and it gets a lot of the loose hairs out

Coat King and a nice metal dog comb works great. Oster brand makes a good coat rake sold on amazon for a decent price https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061MWJ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GNLBDbY3WNHMG
The furminator tends to rip healthy hair out.

If you get one and it grows to look this this: https://imgur.com/a/lDzIvUj

Then this is your friend: https://www.amazon.com/Oster-18-Tooth-Coarse-Shedding-Brush/dp/B00061MWJ0

Light brush (5-10 mins) a night keeps on top of everything.

We know a few others and they all seem to be very social animals - love family and other dogs.

I picked up one of these from Amazon for my dog originally. I then moved it closer to my fence because the neighbors' dog is obnoxious. Now both dogs are quiet!

you might want to get one of these

Get This I have a smaller similar device indoors, I used it when my dog was just a puppy. She learned that inside is not the proper place for barking.

We got her to a "no barking" stage, then turned it off. Now she knows that it's ok to bark when playing or something is "seriously wrong" but not all the freeking time for everything.

Here's a "self-help" option:

PetSafe Outdoor Ultrasonic Bark Deterrent https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UZNLGA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_k1j3wbEFKS1D0

It's a device that emits an ultrasonic noise that is unpleasant to dogs. It's triggered by barking, and unless you know what it is, your neighbor will be none the wiser. The dog will figure out that the noise happens upon barking and poof the dog is trained to not bark.

You would set it up as close to their yard as possible for range purposes. I know it's not free, but it is a much better alternative than calling the police, and you're essentially buying peace between you and your neighbor, and quiet for sleep. Seems like a small amount to pay.

/u/radler470 /u/piratesgoyarr /u/RorschachBulldogs we feed the same dog food taste of the wild

We have been feeding our dogs Taste of the Wild for quite some time now, great quality

http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Wild-Prairie-Formula-30-Pound/dp/B000W5SLB8/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1412350722&sr=1-1&keywords=taste+of+the+wild

I work at a rescue league where the health of animals is highly reguarded. This is always what I push on people to buy for their pets. Everyone who works here uses it. It's highly recommended by our medical staff as well. If you look in the review/comment section of this product you will find a similar situation. Don't be fooled by the price. Wet and dry food diet for dogs is ideal as well. You can always buy a smaller bag for a lower price.

https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Wild-Prairie-Formula-30-Pound/product-reviews/B000W5SLB8/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=recent#R6IP45SKGZQRB

This has got to be the laziest, but most genius purchase I ever made: the Treat & Train treat dispenser. It's not super cheap, but I would pay 3 times the price for what it does! The dispenser can be set to dispense a treat at certain intervals without you having to do anything. So I just sit on the couch, and my dog will wait vigilantly for treats for HOURS. Seriously, if I left the thing on all day, I know he would sit there the whole time. He gets a brain workout from all that vigilance, and I get to do absolutely nothing.

I think Kongs are a good start.

I think with young puppies though, depending on their food drive and motivations, they may or may not take to puzzle toys early, so don't feel badly if it's too much for them.

We actually didn't start our dog on puzzle feeders for any "intelligence" benefit - she had super high food drive and kept eating quickly without chewing, vomiting out her meal, then eating her vomit, so we bought a slow feeder bowl which was perfect for her at 4 months old. We fed her out of frozen-solid Kongs in the morning starting when she was 5 months old to help curb her separation anxiety, and then eventually bought a Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble. Even on the easiest settings, she struggled quite a bit as a puppy so we cut down the stoppers to make the flow easier. When she got better at the game, we re-bought the toy and made it substantially more difficult.

My younger dog, a Samoyed, actually doesn't eat out of toys. He has a lesser food drive and while he'll occasionally eat out of a toy, he prefers to just eat his food and work for better snacks (i.e. training for high value treats), so figuring out what your future dog's preferences are is definitely going to be something you'll have to do as your dog grows up. This dog did not eat out of Kongs until he was about 6 months old, either. He's just as smart, just not as insanely food driven as my first dog!

I would try a food puzzle instead if the slow bowls were too easy. IMO, I would be worried about bloat too. Inhaling their food to the point they choke doesn't sound healthy. Others can comment, but my pup's eating behaviours haven't changed when he got older. He was a picky puppy and he's still picky. We leave his food out all day and he never eats it all.

Have you tried these? Heavy bottom wobbler, Round dispenser.

Those slowly dispense food, the holes are only so big so he'll have to slow down no matter what.

I feel your pain. I just had my pup spayed in late December. Your pup sounds like she might be more energetic than mine but my lab definitely wasn't happy about being kept inside that long.

People here told me puzzle balls too but I'll try to be a little more specific. Out of all the puzzle balls I found this one to be the best one http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Kibble-Nibble-Dispensing-Medium/dp/B001F0RRUA/ref=sr_1_9?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1393869755&sr=1-9&keywords=dog+puzzle

I fed her her meals out of that when she was housebound. It typically takes her maybe 30+ minutes to get most of the kibbles out. Sometimes longer. Between 3 meals you will probably keep her entertained maybe 2 hours with no work on your part (other than having to listen to the ball roll around).

Another game my dog likes to play is hide and seek. I'll tell her to sit and stay in a room and then call out "come!" from another room and have her find me. Hope that helps.

• Lupine collars and leashes - they have a great guarantee of free replacement if the dog chews up the collar or leash. Perfect for puppies. You can find them in most specialty pet shops.
  
  
• Kibble Nibble - this is an interactive toy that I recommend feeding your puppy and grown up dog from. It keeps them busy and they have to work for their food.
  
  
• Nylabones - start with the puppy ones and when your pup starts getting adult teeth move on to the regular versions. Rotate teething toys so your pup always has something interesting to chew on.
  
  
• Sterilized Bones
  
  When you buy Kongs make sure you get the large or x-large size. Don't fall into the marketing scheme where you buy as they grow. Large Kongs are great because you can stuff all sorts of things in it to keep them busy.
  
  Kong Recipes
  
  If you have an Amazon Prime account I'd order a lot from them. Free shipping saves you a lot. If you don't have Amazon Prime then you should look at ordering from a bulk pet supply place like Pet Edge. You have to order $60 worth of stuff to avoid the surcharge but you can get some good deals depending on how expensive shipping is. I try to split an order with a friend to keep costs down.

Here is a tip you need to know. If you bake fairly often and need buttermilk but don't have any, you can make your own. Pour 1 Tbsp of white vinegar in a measuring cup, and fill the rest of the cup with milk. (Up to the 1 cup line of course) Allow it to sit on the counter for roughly 5 minutes and voila!

Obviously Kong was where we started. We moved to the kibble balls, the balls that dispense kibble if rolled a certain way. We recently went away from kibble and moved to raw so we’ve been putting a few small training treats in the kibble ball. The one we have is cylinder shaped, rather than ball shaped
That turned dinner time into a job.

We’ve since started buying random puzzles on Amazon. Here’s a few we like. You do have to monitor them to make sure they don’t brute force their way through the puzzle.

https://www.amazon.com/Trixie-Products-Flip-Board-Level/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1540311818&sr=8-4&keywords=Dog+puzzles

https://www.amazon.com/SPOT-Interactive-Specially-Designed-Training/dp/B0038WP1YC

I hear JRs need tons of exercise, but if you're taking him out in the backyard to play and walking him everyday, that should suffice. This sounds like more of a training issue to me. If there's a space where you can do agility training in your area, that might be a good way of exhausting some of that energy while working on following commands at the same time. If you have to leave him alone in the house, make sure he has ample toys or even a tv or radio. Something like this might be a good idea too.

Starmark Bob-a-lot is the best, completely adjustable.

With Busy Buddy, our favourites are the Kibble Nibble & Magic Mushroom.

He also loves his Buster Cube and IQ Ball (be careful it's smaller than you think).

I think I should note though that I don't care about the amount of noise that toys make on the floor. I've seen complain about some of these for that reason so if that's something you need to be aware of probably only the Bob a lot.

Aw man! That stinks! A great way to tire out your dog is mentally as well, with puzzle toys. So kongs are great, also this toy: https://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treal-Colors/dp/B003ARUKU0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486501019&sr=8-3&keywords=puppy+puzzle+toys and also practicing tricks and training with them can make them wiped.

As for the biting, I suggest setting up a play pen in an area with no toys or anything inside it. It's puppy jail! And the second they bite you, they go in puppy jail, and you don't acknowledge them for 15 seconds. Then take them back out. Bite you? Back in puppy jail. It's exhausting, but they will soon understand that biting = puppy jail time and no play time.

Good luck!!

Please know that he's not trying to get into trouble. Dogs are observant, but -thankfully- incapable of premeditation. He's just bored and making his own fun. He doesn't know he's been bad. Dog's are much simpler than that. They experience moments. He just has a history of moments where you come home through the door and the garbage can is side ways, then you get angry or loud and he feels scared. So, in his pup brain, it's more like key in lock + garbage on floor = sinking feeling out of nowhere.

On to solutions!

I second an exercise pen or crate to keep his options limited. With the right preparation 8 hours of den-time can be pretty neutral for him. Even a locked room will focus in your puppy proofing efforts. Do treat it like a crate and work up to long absences though. However, the best thing you can do is come at it from the other side as well: lets wear this boy out. A comprehensive recipe for a perfect tired boy follows

• No more free food, not cause Good Boy doesn't deserve it, just because he'll actually be happier if it's hard to get. He'll feel accomplished and less bored. Options include: a puzzle matt or feeder ball for dry food, frozen Kongs for wet food (get black for a serious chewer, and get 2), hiding his food around the house (skip the kitchen and near trashcans), doing a command for each pinch of kibble, scattering the kibble in your grass if he'll go for it... whatever works for you and your wife to put some challenge into breakfast/dinner time.
  
• One mile of walking for each hour Good Boy is going to be alone. His breed needs a lot of stimulation and activity like you say, and this is the best way to get out that destructive wiggle juice pumping through his adolescent veins. "But that's 8 miles a day? Who has time for that?" you may say. Totally fair. Hopefully you do, but let's see if we can make things more time efficient anyway. We'll say 2 miles of running counts as 3 miles of walking, so a 5ish mile jog gets you there much faster. But that's still over an hour. So we'll add a doggy backpack with 5% of his body weight (don't go over 12% until he's full grown, add on slowly) to take off one more mile since it doubles as mental stimulation. Ok we're down to 4 miles, still a fair bit if you aren't much of jogger to start. 10 minutes of tug counts as 30 minutes of walking, so we'll call that 1 mile of jogging (Example rules for good tugging!). So, we're at a 10 minutes of tug followed by a 3 mile weighted jog, to be dived between you and your wife however makes the most sense. Call it 45 minutes. And as a bonus, you get to eat more human treats. Additional Options and Equipment: ball chucker, flirt pole, doggy playground items like ramps and tubes, a pulling rig ones he's old enough.
  
• Prevent separation anxiety. Home with no humans for 8 hours is tough for a social animal, but you can make it easier. Making sure he's wore out will go a long way, but the biggest thing is to make your departure a good thing. And only Good Boy gets to decide if that's true. If you throw him a steak each morning, but he doesn't touch it until you come home then you leaving isn't a good thing yet. So I would leave his breakfast for absolute last if he has already pooped and can hold it that long. Either way, grab some high value treats and/or toys (the stuff he goes completely ape for which may or may not be cheap) and toss them in the room/pen/kennel the second before each of you leave.
  
  So a sample perfect morning might go something like this: You wake up and take Good Boy out for a leak and some quality tug time. Maybe you're wife doesn't wan't to deal with most doggie-teen things, but it was her 2018 resolution to run more anyway. So you put on his back pack, tuck a .5 L water bottle into each side, and hand him off for his 5k. While she's gone you fill up yesterdays empty kong with canned food, and pop it in the freezer. Today's kong is frozen solid and ready to go. You grab giant ball to put in his play pen and a puzzle toy with those nasty fish puffs he loves. It's been a couple weeks so you put a puff of pheromone spray on his bed so that it smells like Good Mom. You make your coffee, scroll your reddit, eat your toast and generally get ready for the day. Good Boy is back, flopped on the floor and it's time to go. You do everything you need before you walk out the door, tie shoes, kiss wife, eveerything, and then your grab and jingle your keys. Good Boy comes running. "Caaarrot tiiime" you announce reaching in to the fridge. He paces until he sees you've got the goods then runs to his pen, where you make it rain baby carrot bits before booking it to your car before he can find them all. Wife will also throw a carrot party when she departs plus a stuffed toy and a rubber chewy. You come home to an upside down dog bed and the giant ball bit the dust and deflated, but the dog is happy and the house is fine.
  
  
  
  Now, this may seem totally unrealistic, because in a way it is. Shit gets busy, runs get cut short, tug toys get lost, and humans do human stuff. Don't think of this as the bare minimum for a good day. Just think of it as what would happen in a perfect world where you had the time and brain power to do everything possible for Good Boy before heading off for work. If you can integrate any of this stuff, even slowly it will help you guys get through this teen phase with your house in tact.
  
  
  
  
  
• 0. Miscellaneous!
     
  • • Pheromone spray should work well since he's a pup, thunder shirts, and supplements could be good too. I like the ThunderShirt brand since they make lots of anti-stress products and have a long term reputation to protect.
      
  • • Bitter Apple or No Chew spray for anything he's previously gotten his boredom out on (eg. baseboards).
      
  • • If you're handy you could always build you own doggie treadmill!
      
  • • Look for toys with a replacement garuntee like West Paw's Jive Balls or Hurley. My crazy chewer has been trying to shred his ball from them every for the last two months and it doesn't have a scratch.
      
  • • Consider learning a dog sport! Agility, Nose Work, and Flyball are fun competitions that emphasize teamwork. Your local AKC or affiliates will likely have intro classes.
      
  • • Don't under estimate fresh produce as a treat. Banana, carrots, and blueberries are a few fido-faves.
      
  • • Pride Bites squeaky toys aren't indestructible, but the foam inside them is digestible and non-toxic. So, they're on the safer side to chew unsupervised.
      
  • • Also hiring a walker a few times a week is a great idea and helps take the pressure off when you can't even get close to a perfect day.
      
  • • Take pictures of your darling Good Boy and post them to reddit, remind yourself how jealous the world is of your smart, beautiful, energetic dog.

One option you might try is the "IQ ball" or the kong wobbler. They're both toys that you put kibble in and the dog has to knock them around in order for the kibble to slowly release. Helps with dogs who eat too fast, and it also makes meal time interactive and last much longer so you get a bit of peace!

Edit: additionally, if you can afford it, I'd highly recommend changing foods. If your dog is doing really well on purina one that's fine (nice firm poops that aren't massive) but most dogs will do better on different foods. Even purina pro plan is a good food that's very affordable, but a bit better nutritionally for the dog, and at least on Chewy.com, is just a few more bucks per bag.

Other options that are highly recommended (some are rather pricey) are Taste of the Wild, Fromm, The Costco brand, Acana, Orijen, and many others.

it depends on the dog and their energy level, but in general (and I'm talking about excessive barking here) if the dog is mentally stimulated through enough training & taken for a 30 minute walk every day, and has some toys to play with, they should be fine.

one thing you can do if you have several toys for your dog is rotate them on a weekly basis. for them it's sort of like getting a new toy each week.

you can also put peanut butter in kongs and freeze those. I also have this ball that I use to feed my dog. it keeps him busy for maybe 20 minutes.

LOL sounds about right.

This one might keep them out of trouble for a teeny bit longer:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKU0/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdo_t1_U7taBb1M3C5R8

There’s a middle layer that prevents all the treats from falling straight out the top hole at least!

I've been using this one with my chihuahua, and it works great!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GQh2xbQ8KR4TT
You can choose the size of the opening, which is great for small kibble and my chi just has a blast pouncing on it and batting it around.

outward hound puzzle puzzle starmark puzzle 2

Yeah, most of those would get destroyed in minutes in our house.

Firstly, as I'm sure you know, plan to take her on a decent walk first. It's not always possible, but it helps with the process. Then there's a little wind-down time when we get back to the house.

Anyway, as for toys, your real question, I suggest one of these two:

http://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob---Lot-Interactive-Small/dp/B003YHB8EI/

http://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Inches-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG/

We get some tiny little treats to pop in there and it has good success. Noodle still tries to play with it at my feet, but at least it keeps him occupied. But, as Aussies are velcro pups, he only plays with it in the same room that we're in.

The other thing that could help (if what you want to get done is in the same general area) is to keep treats in your pocket and continuing to reward for staying on her bed. So as you're working, toss a treat back. Maybe every 30 seconds at first and then lengthen the time. Our "Go to your bed" command is pretty rock solid at this point...but the staying part is certainly something that can be continuously worked on.

Good luck! And seriously, that Weazeball will die a horrible death in minutes. Don't waste your money.

This is GREAT and keeps him busy for a bit:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YHB8EI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These are great for training:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TGIFUYI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I feed mine 1 cup x2 per day of this food. There are pretty clear directions on how much to feed based on weight / goal weight. Mine is on the bigger side but still in excellent shape at 50lbs.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0089A66N8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought this pillow version and it's been awesome. After surgery my pup already doesn't feel good so the cone of shame just made it worse. This actually seems comfy too. http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Cloud-E-Collar-Collar-Large/dp/B0045Y1JGG

My girl did the same thing. We got her one of these and it seemed to work just fine. We didn’t use that brand, but the idea is pretty straight forward.

Mine eats tennis balls in seconds. 3 throws and retrieves and it's dead. These don't last long either.

The only thing I have found that can withstand a Staffie chase session or 20 are these or the wobbly version that we fill with peanut butter here

edit Staffies are amazing, but they don't chew gently! I have a staffie cross Bull mastiff or maybe greyhound, sharpai or many other dogs (wonderful stray crossbreed!)

Hahah... We have this one and he hasn't been able to do any damage!

http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Extreme-Ball-Medium-Large/dp/B004VBC0SY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453595140&sr=8-1&keywords=kong+ball

KONG Rubber Ball Extreme

The black medium/large ball: Amazon link for reference.

• Exercise or Problem requiring equipment: SMR (self myofascial release)
  
  
• Pros: Cheap! Super durable. Larger than a lacrosse ball (around the size of a softball, perhaps slightly smaller) and HARD, which means that you can use it on top of soft surfaces with a fair amount of give and still get plenty of pressure for those more stubborn muscles.
  
  
• Cons: HARD! Be careful if you have a low pain threshold. You may need to start with a softer ball, and move on to this one once an area loosens up to really get at those deeper, stubborn parts. Have to be more careful not to roll on things like bones/joints/nerves since the ball has very little give. Heavy enough that you'll notice if you throw it in your gym bag or backpack.
  
  
• Alternatives: Any hard, round object of a similar size?
  
  
• Purposes/Uses: I love using this to roll my traps, rhomboids, and all around my scaps because I'm super tight there and I need something hard. Also great for pec minor, glutes, TFL, and company. Anything that needs some real tough love. Can really be used almost anywhere if you're careful/mindful.
  
  
• Places to acquire equipment/materials: I got mine on Amazon.
  
  
• Cost: Around $6-8 (USD)

I have a rottie pit mix, and Kong has never done me wrong. I see a lot of people saying that their dogs are just not interested in their products. I find they have very durable Balls, and my pups personal favorite the bone. I think if people would maybe put peanut butter, or little treats inside the toy instead of just throwing it to them to play with on their own, the dog would show a little more interest.

They are extremely durable, and fairly priced for the strength. I strongly recommend.

• Labs are notoriously fast eaters, so maybe a puzzle toy? Here are some good ones: 1, 2, 3. You can also never have enough Kongs, and they're sold at big box pet stores.
  
• A cool fetch toy might be fun too, like a Chuckit or a Ball-on-a-Rope. You can find Chuckit products at the big box pet stores. I like the ball-on-a-rope for training...I can throw it, tug with it, dangle it like a flirt pole, and it fits in my pocket. This Frisbee is good for training too because I can fold it up and put it in my pocket. Plus it glows in the dark and floats!

Sure!

My partner built him something like this.

I also got him these two puzzles that I only give him when I'm home, just for safety reasons: this "level 2" one that he solved in 30 seconds and this "level 3" one that he hasn't quite gotten the opening drawer part down yet.

He also has this treat ball that he LOVES, but I don't recommend if you live in an apartment/condo with hard floors.

His favorite that he carries around and chucks down our stairs to open is this mushroom.

He also gets kongs with peanut butter in them.

Amazon gets a lot of my money. Lol.

OP, I'd consider getting some mental stimulation toys for your pup. My sister got this for our pup: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Dog-Activity-Flip-Board/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1458210608&sr=8-4&keywords=dog+puzzle+toy which he absolutely loved.

I put in some of his favourite treats in there and he took about 20 minutes to get through it. As soon as he finished, he literally just collapsed on the floor and fell asleep.

Try to focus on things that will make your dog think.

Kongs are the simplest and its really easy to "level up". Start by just putting in dry kibble, then wet kibble, then freeze the wet kibble and seal up the big hole with yogurt or peanut butter. Then you can layer it so its frozen wet kibble, cheese, kibble, yogurt, kibble, peanut butter etc. It'll start taking longer and longer to get everything out. My pup loves the Kong Wobbler too! Not only does it tire him out, but it spreads out his meal so he doesn't eat it as fast. Same with the IQ ball. The puzzle board was great for awhile but then got too easy for him. Snuffle mats are pretty easy to DIY too if you don't want to fork over the money to buy a real one.

It may just be a matter of finding toys that can keep him engaged. There are toys that are like catnip kickers or static little stuffies, but then there are also some that are battery-operated or plug in (lasers, concealed motion toys, magnetic toys).

My personal preference, especially if I'm not home to supervise are toys that can be active with just the cat's actions alone. This woven straw is one of my cat's favourites because it catches in her claws as she swats it, so as she moves, it follows her motion until it uncatches and flings off, so she'll go chase it.

I've got this cheap little wand that I use to play with her that moves fairly unpredictably and actually got my cat panting because she was so into it.

Another thing I do everyday is spend 15-20 minutes making her chase her meal. I feed wet food during the day and offer a limited amount of kibble at night, so what I do with the kibble is toss it up the stairs or around the house within her sight so she chases each piece to get fed. I do this until she gets so tired that she has to lie down 3 or 4 separate times, and then I let her rest.

After that, I fill some foraging toys with some more kibble so she has something to work for. If your cat is food motivated, this could work well for you too because it keeps them mentally and physically busy. I have a treat ball and a Wobbert (a little more challenging than a regular treat ball) but I find they're quick to solve and not very engaging. Most of the ones I get are dog toys:

• Mad Scientist
  
  
• Jigsaw Slider
  
  
• Flip board level 2
  
  
• Brain mover toy
  
  
• Lucky Slots
  
  
• Training level 3
  
  
• Training level 3
  
  Also, I hide kibble pieces all over her furniture and any cat-friendly furniture. In toys, in any nooks and crannies, in places I want her to explode. It's a good reason to get her feeling like she has a bit of a mission and poking around.

These!
Mental stimulation will tire them out too! Hide and seek is also fun

Another way is to "shape" your dog. It's a form of trick training that allows the dog to make decisions to get to the desired behavior.

Okay, thank you! I'll keep that in mind. I have an undercoat rake (the kind that has straight pins, not curved - similar to this one) but I've heard mixed suggestions on how often to use it. Is once per week about right?

I also way overspent on a Chris Christensen buttercomb lol, the one with a fine and a coarse side. I almost certainly could have just gotten a cheaper Andis one but here we are. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'm sure the guy wouldn't mind benefiting from reddit's hug of death on his Amazon listing.

They make anti-bark speakers shaped like bird houses and things like that. I can't speak to how humane or effective it is, but it might work for you. I own a 'dog whistle' which is really just a hand held remote that emits the same dog whistle noise, much like the bird house things, it get's the dog's attention for sure, but I don't know if it would get the dog to stop barking.

Example:
http://www.amazon.com/DOGTEK-Sonic-Control-Outdoor-Indoor/dp/B00ESMUWS6

I buy these from Canadian amazon. I love them so much. Great quality, pretty thick in comparison to other poopy bags and super cheap!
Also comes with a convenient roll holder I can just clip onto the leash.

I'm sure there's an American version.

Puppy waste bags. Even comes with a handy keychain dispenser.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Waste-Bags-Dispenser-Leash/dp/B00NABTGY2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1525366712

Here you go.

Not really a mod, but I hate my back seat headrests because they don't allow me to install and remove a dog harness thing. So I ran up to my hardware store and grabbed some lengths of braided cable to secure independently around 2 of the 3 child seat harnesses in loops. Now I can hook the back of the dog harness through each of those in several seconds instead of jury-rigging it to the seatbelt or some other inefficient way.

i got it off of amazon. here’s the link!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sNf8CbN5XD4WT

Did you get your pen off of Amazon? Is it this one? Can you tell me if it’s any good? :)

This is the pen I've been looking at
Tespo Pet Playpen, Portable Large Plastic Yard Fence Small Animals, Puppy Kennel Crate Fence Tent (Transparent White 12 Panels, 60x60x28 Inches) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4jQNDbBVZ7DA0

It will be a while before I get it because my babies are too young for free range time yet. But that's the one I want once they are old enough

this is a great pen

Get a baby gate and place it in front of the door. Or get a plexiglass playpen. This is the one I own and I really enjoy it. They try to get out but never succeed. I have a fat boy and a small girl both ferrets. Hope this helps.

One of our girls is going to be 2 years old in a few months, and even though she loves to cuddle with us, she still darts away and hides when she's on the floor. Even our most brazen of ratties will hide sometimes. It's just in their nature to be cautious, especially in wide open spaces.

You haven't had him all that long, and if he is willing to be pet and eat fron your hands then it sounds like you guys are doing great with him. It will take him some time to understand that he's safe roaming around, but even so I'm sure he will still hide sometimes.

As for keeping him out of places he shouldn't be, we bought this playpen and not only is it awesome for constructing a play area, but the panels are great for blocking off doorways or areas the rats don't need to get into.

I am so bummed no one answered this. Here's my extremely DIY suggestion that I do not have the opportunity to test myself.

Get this dog playpen.

Tie them together with zip-ties (I think they come with zip-ties now). Set it up, put some hides in, and cover the whole thing with some sort of fine netting. The netting should be loose enough that you fit under it, but it should stop your rats from getting out/ wild animals from getting in. I'm not sure what the best way to secure the netting would be, but you should be able to close the whole thing from the inside. I recommend a rat or cat carrier for transport in between, so you can let them out when the playpen is fully secured.

Let me know if you try it.

I originally started out with cardboard too, but my girls are jumpers and I couldn't get it tall enough without making it too hard to easily fold or maneuver. I ended up with 2 sets of these plastic fence panels. They're two panels high so the rats can't jump or climb over. Corners are tied with zip ties so I can fold it up when needed and it's easy to wipe down.

I got it on amazon here! Suuuper easy to set up and can elongate it one more time if needed :)

Haha no zippers (but that would be cool), but I did want see through plastic panels because this rabbit is quite the character and I like to capture his antics without disturbing him lol.

Tespo Pet Play Pen

Nope, as others have said, cats and high quality items are not compatible. Until I get my dream home with my own sealed off man cave, I have my rig set up in my living room. I've had $30 large mouse pads get picked on. I've had cords get chewed through on my $50 mouse. My chair they will pick on the back. I had enough after buying my 3rd mouse pad. I bought this on amazon. I surrounded my desk and remove the front every sit down session and replace it before bed. Takes me an extra 10 secs a day but worth it to keep my little shit heads out of my expensive area. Also, I put a pillow on my chair and a blanket over my key board cause sometimes my super skinny, agile cat can make it over the gate but luckily she isn't the one that chews cords.

Came here to say west paw. My dog is a CHEWER.

We’ve been getting him the super chewer bark box for the last couple of months. Half of the toys don’t last 5 minutes (we like the treats). They sent us a benebone as a replacement and he liked it a lot. It’s about halfway gone after about two weeks. Nylabones get shredded. Soft toys are basically non-starters (though the duck toy is doing pretty well a few days in... feet are gone but no fluff out yet!)

The West Paw toys we got him MONTHS ago are still fully intact and he loves them.

I don't know why it works, but this big yellow duck toy has outlived any of his compatriots:

https://www.amazon.com/Duckworth-Large-Yellow-Duck-Dog/dp/B000084E7Y

I think it's something to do with the texture of the fur?

Also I have no idea why this works, but I watch my dog when she's chewing on toys and I can tell the difference between a chew that will rip the toy and one that won't. When I see her starting with a ripping motion I tell her "be gentle" and she listens. I have no idea why or how to train it, but at this point she understands she is supposed to be gentle with soft toys and only very rarely rips them. So...you could try that?

I got my shiba inu this duck and he has yet to put a hole in it. It is played with nearly every day and has lasted. Also got him some Kong Cozies that have lasted as well. Check the sizing on all toys to make sure you don't get any too small for a lab to swallow though.

My husband bought one for our lab puppy on amazon! Came here to say we had that duck for a little while, but my boston mix is VERY determined and adept at defluffing

Multipet Large Dog Toy 15" Yellow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BgsxCbQMNAEME

This big hedgie is one of my dogs favorites. They have smaller sizes too!!!

Not only is this.... duck/google/schmoo one of my doggos favorites, it has tons of reviews from people saying for some reason their dog really loves it.

My 2 cents, skip the raised dishes, and definitely skip the create.

Realistically you need at a minimum, a bed, food and water dishes, food, I strongly recommend sweet potato chews. It'll help with the stress induced diarrhea, a few toys and a Duckworth (see link below) I have yet to meet a dog that doesn't love them.

Multipet Duckworth https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_8T4QDb0BKC3DQ

Edit: obviously collar and leash, but those should be supplied by the rescue

I'm not a fan of furminators. I find they end up cutting the fur more than anything.

As recommended, give them a good bath and blow dry. That will loosen up most of it. I find my trusty comb (like this one ) works very well on my landlords lab, as well as a zoom groom.

I love the furminator (short hair version) and the Kong Zoom Groom. I like using the zoom groom during bath time too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0040QW33W/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1542834804&sr=8-3&keywords=furminator+short&dpPl=1&dpID=41hcGO%2BhI4L&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/KONG-ZoomGroom-Grooming-Brush-Raspberry/dp/B0002AR19Q?th=1&psc=1

They are pretty low maintenance. Just the occasional bath, nail trim, and brush them with a rubber curry brush, I recommend this one http://www.amazon.com/KONG-ZoomGroom-Grooming-Brush-Boysenberry/dp/B0002AR19Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417920179&sr=8-1&keywords=Zoom+Groom

I prefer a shedding blade over a furminator. Seems less harsh and my girl hates it less.

Zoom Grooms and Slicker Brushes are good also.

Ultimately, the most helpful thing for me has been a high velocity dryer to just blast the damn hair right out.

My pit mix is blowing out her coat now. Fur everywhere. My Pointers put her to shame. I sweep every day and I could build a dog from the pile. Not all dogs shed the same. Just keep up with the daily brushing. I use a rubber brush that the fur sticks to. They love it, my one boy brings it to me when he wants to be brushed. It must feel like a massage or something. This is the one I use. Do not shave your dog. It can really mess with their coat over time. When I switched my dog to a complete raw diet it did really cut down on the shedding, but it did not eliminate it. It was more noticeable durning the time of year when they're not blowing their coats.

We use a furminator too, and while it works, we really have to go to town to get all the undercoat off and it seems like it just rips his top coat apart in the process. I was thinking of getting one of the undercoat brushes to see if that was any better.

Anyone have any experience with something like this?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061MWJ0/

Hi, CaptainAre! Quality grooming tools make all the difference. I personally took other peoples' advice and use a FURminator during shedding season. It works great and gets the job done relatively quickly, is very efficient, and leaves my Husky with a soft top coat. Other people also swear by the Oster Rake, but I have yet to try it. I've owned a shedding blade in the past and used to use it on my other dogs, however I've noticed that while it might work on other breeds with thinner coats, it's not necessarily the best tool to use on a Husky. Will it work? Yes, but it's the equivalent to hammering a nail in with a wrench. Quality grooming tools are worth their weight in gold, especially with a Husky's thick undercoat.

Also, from my understanding, all brushes/blades/rakes were designed to be used along the grain of the fur and not against it. The best comparison I could think of would be shaving a beard. Sure, you could get a closer shave if you go against the hairs but it comes at the price of mild discomfort. Same thing goes for a dog's coat.

Another invaluable tool for daily maintenance and upkeep of her coat would be a decent Slicker Brush. Hope this helps!

Amazon

Heres the link: Oster Dog Rake and Shedding Brush, 18-Tooth Coarse, Wide (078928-300-000) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061MWJ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_THd1Cb7T5B6T1

Would you suggest a rake over a pin brush for under coat then? And do you have any advice for brushing out spots the dog is sensitive to?

Furminators really are great! On the right coat type. Depending on the coat an undercoat rake may work better. This one by Oster is AMAZING http://www.amazon.com/Oster-Professional-Grooming-Undercoat-Coarse/dp/B00061MWJ0. Rubber curry brushes, like Zoom Groom by Kong, are great for getting the top coat on both double coated and smooth coated dogs. Don't forget a slicker brush and steel comb (for long/double coats)! I have a cavalier and you wouldn't believe the amount he sheds. I use a combination of all these tools for the best results. I'm also a groomer, so I'm a little anal with it.

http://www.amazon.ca/Oster-Professional-Grooming-Undercoat-Coarse/dp/B00061MWJ0

And I bought one of their dual sided brushes as well.

Happy for you and the dog!

First, buy one of these:
http://www.petco.com/product/100491/KONG-Zoom-Groom-Brush.aspx (Amazon is cheaper)
and one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Oster-Professional-Grooming-Undercoat-Coarse/dp/B00061MWJ0
These will help with the shedding. It's a lot. Adding salmon oil to her food can also help (talk to a vet first). And yes, she will certainly be able to learn a new name! It took my guy about a day. Your mileage may vary.

Finally, shameless plugs for r/germanshepherds and r/GermanShepherd. Lots of helpful people. Best of luck!

Link to the rake

From what I gather, they are more meant for short coated breeds and they cut hair as they comb and often end up damaging the top layer.


The rake breaks up tangles and dense patches in the undercoat and removes the loose bits, while allowing the flowing topcoat to pass through unharmed.

not vouching for this one or anything, but this is the first that showed up on amazon. there appears to be two kinds offered by this vendor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UZNLGA/ref=twister_B01HCWZY04?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Pretty sure its no collar required

Here is the mobile version of your link

Got it. Sorry for the knee jerk reaction, without the info that you were taking her from a deceased owner it seemed like just an impulse decision to adopt a difficult breed.

Here we go. When you get the dog, start with a Two Week Shutdown to ensure the smoothest introduction of your dog to their new environment. This is super important and something i WISH I knew about when I adopted my dog.

General Dog Care Checklist from the ASPCA.

The bare necesseities of supplies:

• Premium-quality dog food. [Taste of the Wild](https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Wild-Prairie-Formula-30-Pound/dp/B000W5SLB8/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1485423771&amp;amp;sr=1-4&amp;amp;keywords=dog+food) is very popular for being affordable and high-quality<br />

• Food dish
  
• Water bowl
  
• Toys, toys and more toys, including safe chew toys. KONGS are wonderful for keepiing your dog occupied. Fill with wet food or PB, freeze, and give to dog.
  
• Brush & comb for grooming, including flea comb. Look into breed specific brushes
  
• Collar with license and ID tag
  
• Leash, Easy Walk Harness
  
• Training crate
  
• Dog bed (check Groupon for great deals) or box with warm blanket or towel
  
• Dog toothbrush
  
  I don't have experience with huskies but I have heard over and over how they are a difficult dog to own, and require around 2 hours of intense exercise daily. I found this Breed Discussion which may be informative for you. Do you have a dog park nearby? That would be great if its a fenced in area, because huskies are "escape artists".
  
  Honestly, like myself, a lot of were quick to jump the gun on you and didn't offer any real help. I would suggest posting a new post with a title like: "Inherited a husky whose owner died, what are some tips and resources I can read to give this dog a great life?". Definitely include that there are no shelters nearby. Are you in the US?
  
  Hope I helped atleast a bit. If you use the "search" function on this subreddit and search for "husky", you will see users who have "flair" saying that they own a siberian husky. You could PM them and I'm sure they would be more helpful than me. Also try posting in r/siberianhusky/. How old is the dog? Pics?
  
  Sorry again for the insensitive reply at first. I really wish you luck and if you have any questions I'm happy to help!

I feed mine Taste of the Wild. I buy the 30lb bag and it lasts us about a month. We haven't had to provide any supplemental foods and our vet has approved of her diet and how it positively affects her health. We've also noticed that her coat and skin have greatly improved from when she was first adopted which I think has something to do with her improved diet. I can imagine that as she grows older, we'll have to specialize her diet further but for now, she does great with her dry food.

I've been buying this one and happy with it.

I feed mine Taste of The Wild he seems to do really well on it and when I tried other dog foods he refused to eat.

http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Wild-Prairie-Formula-30-Pound/dp/B000W5SLB8

Don't buy cheap dog food.


If you're going to buy dog food for your dog, please buy more expensive food. Check the ingredients and make sure it's good. If you wouldn't eat it, why feed it to something you're responsible for?


I try to give my dogs a raw treat every few days. It's really healthy for them!

This is what I bought.

Does your dog tend to bark more when you aren't around? If so, it might be helpful to record your voices and play that on loop so it seems like you're at home. I was lucky to get a good price on a [Manners Minder] (http://www.amazon.com/Premier-Treat-Remote-Reward-Trainer/dp/B0010B8CHG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409194417&sr=8-1&keywords=manners+minder). Sophia Yin designed it, and it's been great--it's a remote controlled treat dispenser, which helps a lot with "capturing" good behavior. Whenever there are any weird noises or voices, I discreetly press the button, so it actually seems like noises and people = magic treats to my dog. She no longer associates me being around with the treats, since I've been pressing the remote from outside the building also :-).

FWIW--I just moved to a new apartment, and previously it took a month to get my dog used to the new noises and stomping. Our new place is right across the street from some barking window dogs, and after three days of feeding my dog via remote, my dog is pretty calm and hardly responds to sounds.

It sounds as if he's getting you trained. lol Dr. Sophia Yin created this awesome remote training device. You may want to try something like this out, to let you be away from him, instead of running down the stairs at his command. :)

My Kees used to do this exact thing - when I wasn't home she never barked or fussed but if I was home and she couldn't be near me (i.e. I'm in the bathroom) she acted like she was dying.

I never crated her when I was home except for overnight - I used an extra tall ex pen (the sides were over 4 feet tall) for when I couldn't watch her closely and mostly just let her follow me around the apartment. Even when I went to the bathroom or took a shower she just wanted to hang out next to me - she would just stand outside the shower and rest her head on the side of the tub watching me like a creep.

I used a manners minder to train some of this away - mostly for when my wife and I wanted a bit of time alone. Basically I filled it up with treats and went into my bedroom and shut the door. As I was closing the door (before she could start barking) I released a treat. Then I kept releasing treats as long as she was quiet. I did this for 5 mins, then 10, then longer. Always extending the time between treats and only releasing a treat if she was quiet.
It took several sessions but now she does a lot better being alone in the living room when I'm elsewhere in the apartment.

My mom'a husky mix likes this treat dispenser rope thing and I've had several large breed fosters like this egg treat dispenser thing

I think what works for your dog probably depends on his preferences and chew intensity. If you're not solely interested in treat/food dispensers, you might look into some of the scent training aids. You can buy animal scents in liquid form, and you basically put a few drops on a piece of scrap fabric and hide it as a game. My beagle loved it when he was younger. I put it in a kong or kong-like toy then hide the toy. Of course, I'd never leave it hidden unattended. They still have scent hound competitions so there's quite a bit of information out there about training.

In addition to the kong, I use a food ball dispenser to feed my dog a lot of the time. It doesn't fully tire him out, but it helps burn some of that energy.

Here is the one I use: http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Kibble-Nibble-Dispensing-Medium/dp/B001F0RRUA/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1396221697&sr=1-3&keywords=dog+food+ball

Most Labs do tend to eat with gusto. Make sure he's getting enough food. They do make some different food bowls to supposedly slow dogs down.

Interactive slow pet feeder

Skidstop slow feeder bowl

Gobble stopper bowl addition

Buster dog maze

I personally have had success with the treat type balls.

Kong wobbler

Kibble Nibbler

I have this post saved from u/manatee1010 and have tried several:

I keep this list of brain toy links handy to send to friends who get dogs. It's getting pretty long...

Toys that get stuffed with food and frozen:

• Kong Classic (15-20 minutes) (it sounds like Watson is lukewarm toward this… have you tried mixing a spoonful of canned food in with some kibble and freezing it?
  
  
• Zogoflex Toppl Interactive Treat Dispensing Dog Toy (this can be a stand-alone toy, or if you get a big one and little one they can fit together and dispense kibble) (15-20 minutes)
  
  
• Starmark Pickle Pocket (my big dog really likes this one… we put cheese in it) (20-25 minutes)
  
  Kibble dispensing toys, hard material (good for carpeted areas)
  
  
• Bob-A-Lot (~10 minutes… this one can be adjusted to make it harder)
  
  
• Tug-A-Jug (10-30 minutes, depending on the dog)
  
  
• Magic Mushroom (10-30 minutes, depending on the dog)
  
  
• Kong Wobbler (~5-10 minutes)
  
  
• IQ Treat Ball (~10-15 minutes)
  
  
• Pet Zone IQ Ball (this is the ONLY toy my dogs can’t get all the kibble out of. They’ll usually persist for half an hour or so before they give up)
  
  
• Buster Cube (I think this has several difficulty settings… my guys now don’t have one of these, but my dog when I was growing up had one. I’d guess this is probably a 20-30 minute toy depending on difficulty and what you load into it)
  
  
• Treatstik – I have NO idea how long this one takes to load, but it’s on my to-purchase list because it seems like it’s one of the longer lasting toys on the market. If anyone has/gets one, I’m super interested to hear about it!
  
  Kibble dispensing toys, soft material (good for hardwood/tile/laminate)
  
  
• Barnacle (this can be stuffed like a Kong as well… I lost this one when I moved but I think in terms of kibble dispensing it was shorter lasting, maybe 5-10 minutes)
  
  
• Tricky Treater (I REALLY like this one; super easy to load and clean, lasts 10-15 minutes)
  
  
• Tricky Treat Ball (another super easy one… <5 minutes)
  
  
• Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Snoop Treat Dispensing Dog Toy – this one just arrived yesterday so I don’t have a solid rating of its durability yet, but so far it seems great… easy to load, takes the dogs awhile to empty, and super duper quiet.
  
  
• JW Pet Company Treat Puzzler Dog Toy (this one is super easy for them to empty… I’d say 3-5 minutes)
  
  
• PetSafe Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble Meal Dispensing Dog Toy (this one is okay, not my favorite… I didn’t like that I had to make a decision about cutting it immediately after opening. It takes ~5-10 minutes to unload)
  
  
• Starmark Treat Dispensing Puzzle Ball - this one is new! I almost bought it the other day but haven't yet; I think it's most similar to a Buster Cube in terms of adjustable difficulty, it's just a softer material.
  
  Time-release kibble dispensing toys (good for work days)
  
  
• the Foobler is great because it works on a timer that rotates to the next of six, ¼ cup food hoppers at set intervals of time (you pick, the options are 15-30-60-90 minutes), which makes it last way longer than most of these toys. This is hard plastic.
  
  
• CleverPet – this has a December release date. I’m way pumped about it and have been in touch with the company… hopefully I’ll be getting one of the first models off the line!
  
  Lastly, there are also these two that I haven’t tried yet, so I’m not positive how to classify…
  
  
• Starmark Crunching Barbell
  
  
• Starmark Treat Crunching Multiball
  
  
  ETA: If you have any others you like (or don't like) that I've left off this list, please chime in!

The Kong Wobbler and Bobs-a-lot are great toys. I also use a Tricky Treat ball a lot. My dogs also really love the Snoop.

You could also try the Tug-a-Jug, Kibble Nibble, or Buster Cube.

Is he paws-y in general? He may need one at first that he can see inside of like the Busy Buddy "Kibble Nibble." Some dogs need a lot more encouragement and praise and excitement to see the fun in dispensing toys, including you pushing it around to get food to fall out. A regular Kong Classic with dry kibble inside is a good one to try too as food falls out easily. The more full the toy is, the easier the food falls out so have it full the first few times you use it.

If your dog just isn't into it, you can also try puzzles. Kyjen and Nina Ottosson have good ones. You can DIY with a muffin pan or egg carton.

It depends on the toy, and the dog. You do want to supervise them at first, to make sure that they won't just chew it to bits; most dogs are smart enough to figure it out after a little encouragement, but some try to chew the toy(s) open. A Kong or something frozen in a block of ice like /u/ifragbunniez suggested would be good, or here are a couple others I found:

http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Kibble-Nibble-Dispensing-Medium/dp/B001F0RRUA - $11.87

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DK26M/ - $5.32

We bought a puzzle feeding bowl and never looked back, they are cheap on amazon, under $10. If your dog is high energy (mine is) then it’s perfectly fine to feed all meals in devices that make your dog work for the food (this advice came from our trainer). It helps tire them out and they eat slower. It’s very common for us to feed our dog from this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001F0RRUA/ref=mp_s_a_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1524460063&sr=8-27&keywords=dog+treat+ball . I know the reviews are not amazing but the small one works great for our dog. I do not recommend the large, it comes unscrewed to easy. A lot of people like the kong wobbler but our dog doesn’t get it. Frozen Kong’s only work for us if it’s a mix of wet food and dry. We have this one too which works well but is a bit of a pain to fill an entire meal in. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003YHB8EI/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1524460313&sr=8-15&keywords=dog+treat+dispenser

My dogs like these three treat dispensing toys we have:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ALMW0M

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F0RRUA

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002I0RN0

Thus thing is my Paps favorite! Just put a few pieces of their regular kibble in it. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0038WP1YC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_pK2EAb3NJKM11

Second vote for the Tug a jug, Buster Maze also the Mushroom are also good the Bobs A lot Also works great as it has variable settings for difficulty. Puzzles like this are great but they tend to be useless once the dog figures it out.

For interactive play, I have two puzzle toys
this
and something like this

So each lunch break, we play the "Find!" game. He loves manipulating things with his nose and feet.

He is fed out of puzzle toys, which I'm around for to make sure he doesn't chew on them too much, but he works himself. That's the kong wobbler, and an IQ treat ball. For monitored play, I also have stuffed toys, which he throws around like that video of an orca playing with a seal (vaguely disturbing), and WILL tear up given the chance. I also have balls on rope toys. Again, he will toss and whip those around, chase them across the floor, generally have a grand ole time. He WILL chew on the rope though, so that toys gets picked up when I'm not in the room.

For unattended, crate time, I have two rubber kongs, also stuffed with food, usually frozen, a Starmark ever-lasting treat ball, and a full antler. I got a split antler because I thought he might not like it. That was a mistake. he was splitting shards off the split one in < 30 min. He is the second dog I've seen do that, so I cannot recommend split antlers under any circumstances. We've had the full antler for about a month, and thought it's worn, it's still very solid. I have no concerns leaving it in his crate, and he chews it like a pacifier when he gets stressed/bored.

I am caring for a SUPER mouthy lab. He will pick up and eat anything. Really.An-nee-thing. I have lot of toys and try to rotate, but sometimes he still picks up a houseplant.

Right now, our favorite is The Odin. My dogs like that it's rolly and that I stuff it with good smelling things. I like that it doesn't make a bunch of noise banging around our hardwood floors.

My female dog is VERY smart. We used to have the IQ Treat Ball but she pretty quickly figured out that all she had to do was shake it the right way and the treats would fall out. The Odin is trickier and they spend more time on it.

Autumn also used to have things like this one but, again, she figured them out so quickly it was kind of a waste. That one, she can now do in under ten seconds. It's not even a challenge.

So instead of spending money on seek and find toys, I recommend making your own games like that by hiding treats under small solo cups or tennis balls cut in half.

As for training sessions...

Small, focused sessions work best when the dog is learning a new skill. It's easy to get frustrated and overwhelmed when you're learning something new, in a language you don't even speak. But once they have the basics down, you can add more variety and length. You also don't have to, say, do a 30 minute long stretch. You can do two 15s. Or two 10s.

And once they have the basics down, you can turn training into games. Sit-Down-Stand is one of my favorites because it's so useful and it can be done in a smaller space.

Games work great because you're reinforcing the "training" behavior, but you're doing it in a way that feels like fun for both you and your dog. Spending time with your dog should be fun!

I hope this helps. I have a pair of high energy, loudmouth kids of my own and this has made them a lot more managable.

I have a GSD mix and the only thing (other than hide and seek) is that I bought a chicken and barn dog game that she loves. Here's something similar:

http://www.amazon.com/Plush-Puppies-Hide-A-Squirrel-Pet-Large/dp/B0002I0O60/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382228088&sr=8-1&keywords=squirrel+game+dog

Generally, mine is only into it if I give it to her--so I doubt she'd play with it that much while I'm at work. If he's food motivated (mine isn't) there are a bunch of toys that will dispense food while requiring him to figure out a puzzle. Here are a couple examples (but there are a ton more):

http://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Seek-A-Treat-Shuffle-Bone-Puzzle/dp/B0038WP1YC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382228265&sr=8-2&keywords=dog+food+puzzle

http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Games-Star-Spinner-Treat/dp/B00440D8GU/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1382228265&sr=8-10&keywords=dog+food+puzzle

Good luck!

• Omega Ball
  
• Flirt Pole
  
• Shuffle Treat Board
  
• Flip Board
  
• Nosework Games
  
• Fenzi Training
  
• Bob a Lot
  
• Treiball Balls

My guy didn't care about peanut butter. Instead we soak a portion of his food in water and then mash it into the kong and freeze it the night before. It gives my guy about 20-30 mins until he starts whining (he's also 7 months). The kongs are built to withstand freezing and biting, so you should be fine.

We got my guy this https://www.amazon.ca/Ethical-Pet-Treat-Shuffle-Puzzle/dp/B0038WP1YC but he is too smart. This takes him like 2 mins to get all the treats out. He is a mini Aussie.

I came to this thread hoping to get advice on harder treats too :)

Oh man, I have so many of them right now. I'm a huge fan of the Kong Wobbler but it makes too much of a mess on my floors (attracts ants -_-). I also have the Kong Tiltz which is apparently not as fun to my Shiba lol. I'm about to get a snuffle mat for Matcha! We have an IQ ball which also isn't very interesting to her lol. I have a few Starmark toys since they have lots of different interactive toys as well.

I also have this thing, which Matcha is still convinced is a chew toy lol.

Wood Treat Puzzles like the ones Zanie's, Ethical Pets, and Nina Ottosson make are all ones my pit likes. Since they're made of wood they'll last a while. Also the Premier Tug-a-Jug has kept him guessing for 2 weeks now.

The first two issues (going to the bathroom indoors and the aggression) call for a vet visit.

Excercise-wise, I'd start with two 15 minute walks/day and scale up from there to, maybe, three 20 minute walks, or 60 minutes of walking or outdoor play spread out over the day (20 in the morning, 40 at night, etc).

Puzzle toys are great too. I recently got this toy for my pup, he really loves it, it's solidly built and pretty inexpensive.

We like this one because it has multiple levels for bones to fall through: Our Pets IQ Treat Ball Interactive... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKU0?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

And this one too: JW Hol-ee Roller Size:Small... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BWF0AR4?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

She loves her interactive little piggies and their hiding holes (the squirrels were all I could find on amazon): ZippyPaws - Woodland Friends Burrow, Interactive Squeaky Hide and Seek Plush Dog Toy - Chipmunks ‘n Log https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PFB3HG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_sE8LBb51HF9D1

http://www.amazon.com/Our-Pets-Smarter-Interactive-Inches/dp/B003ARUKU0
My irish setter uses the 5 inch one

why was your vet glad it wasn't a pure malinois?? they're amazingly smart, loyal, and generally great dogs. what an odd comment.

they're very smart dogs. you can take her to a reputable training school (probably not petsmart), and make sure they do POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT training. I'm new to the sub so i'm not sure what the general consensus is, but having a belgian breed dog as well, they do not respond well to the dominance stuff. they're eager to please, they just need to know how.

puzzle toys will be your best friend, too. my favorite has been this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Our-Pets-Smarter-Interactive-Inches/dp/B003ARUKU0

2 years later, it's still in 1 piece... unlike anything else we bought in 2013... lol.

if you need any other specific advice, feel free to PM me.

Does your puzzle ball adjust to make it easier/harder to get the food out? We have an IQ ball. When we first used it, we fully opened it and made it really easy for our dog to get the kibble out. Now we close it way down, and it takes her ~15 minutes to get through it. Not terribly long but she has to work a little for her dinner at least.

I have to strongly advise against any Nina Ottosson-brand puzzle toys. Our dog, who isn't a heavy chewer, basically destroyed a Nina Ottosson toy the very first time we gave it to her (and they aren't cheap!!). We were so disappointed.

It is really heavy, I'm mostly worried about damage. The noise doesn't really bother me since it is less annoying than this ball.

My 10 lb dog loves the IQ ball and we've got the larger size (4"). We've also got a Wobbler that she enjoys, but I think I should have gotten the Bob-a-lot instead. I borrowed a Bob-a-lot from a friend, and it seemed like it was more challenging and I liked that the hole size is adjustable (I taped over most of the Wobbler's hole to make it smaller). The Busy Buddy Twist & Treat is pretty good too.

We have this for ours https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GxLsDbFHADN2S

She loves it and gets pouty when her food is in a normal bowl instead

If he's decently food motivated, there are toys where the dog has to work to get the food out. Some examples-

IQ Ball

Starmark Bob a Lot

Magic Mushroom

Nina Ottosson has a line of puzzle toys. (These are more on the expensive side though, but there's a range of difficulty)

These are just a few off the top of my head... If you do a search for puzzle toys, there should be other posts with more suggestions.

If you leave the rawhides out all the time, he might just be bored or just used to them, so they're no longer a treat. If he has access to them at any time, there's nothing really special about them anymore which maybe why he ignores them.

SO and I keep our pup in an open area and just keep tabs on him, which inevitably results in a lot of us saying "stop chewing on the chair, stop chewing on the plant." So I feel you there.

If we need time where we can't watch him constantly (folding laundry, for example) we'll put him in his enclosed space, usually with something to chew on. Sometimes he barks at us or lays on top of the couch and stares at us like, "uh, guys? You forgot to let me out..." It's definitely not his favorite but sometimes it's necessary. If we really need him to be occupied we give him a bully stick; we might as well not exist when he has one of those.

As for toys, my dog loves his frizbee, his Chuck-it! ball (we can't give him regular tennis balls because he eats the fuzz off, but the Chuck it balls are pretty sturdy), and rope toys, which he can only have if we're around. Currently we have a Flossy rope toy and the Kong Tugga Wubba. He also has a few rubber chewy bones, which have held up to his chewing so far. Amazon seems to have better prices for toys than anywhere else I've found. The Flossy rope toy is huge and it cost me like $3, I think?

Another thing that keeps him occupied is a wobbling food dispenser, which another poster suggested and I also highly recommend. It makes dinner time a little more interesting for him and lets you do your own thing for a bit. We have one of these. You can adjust how difficult it is by adjusting the two openings in the toy.

Do you rotate toys out? If I introduce a new toy I always put one away and don't bring it out again for a few weeks; he goes nuts for ones he hasn't had in awhile.

There are many different kinds of toys and puzzles that will keep him occupied when you aren't at home. Just choose something centered around your dog's motivation, whether it be treats, toys, or something else and don't forget to play with him yourself!

On a different note, I used to have a dog who started chewing when he was a puppy. I made it absolutely clear to him that I was VERY unhappy when he chewed through my headphone cord, then gave him a length of denim from the scrap box and said, "This is for you." Ever since then, he'll only chew things you give to him explicitly.

My wiggle loves this and this
Also, frozen Kong’s are great.

I put treats and even dry food in a puzzle toy for my yorkie, he loves it, it slows down how fast he eats and it keeps him occupied for a while. This is the one I have https://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob-Lot-Interactive-Small/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1521658287&sr=8-13&keywords=dog+treat+puzzle

He knocks it all over the kitchen getting his food out and it wears him out a bit which is great this time of year when it's too cold or snowy to walk every day.

I’d focus on all around confidence building at home - obedience group class is probably overwhelming for a shy dog, so set your expectations low for slow progress in a class environment.

First of all, I’d implement a Nothing in Life is Free regime at home for now. It sounds harsh but for a fearful dog, knowing what your expectations are can reduce her anxiety and earning affection/privileges successfully by doing what you want her to will help her build confidence and trust in you - which should translate to her looking to you for leadership in all situations.

Work on reinforcing/teaching basic commands at home with really high value treats, lots of short training sessions (90 seconds to 5 minutes each session multiple times a day if possible) and way more reps than you think necessary. Once she has a command down, you can work on transitioning it to the world outside your home.

Puzzle toys are also an effective way to help build confidence. With shy/fearful dogs, we typically feed all meals in puzzle toys - solving them helps boost their morale. The Starmark Bob-a-lot is my favorite for meals, but Kongs are a good option too and the Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Snoop Dog Toy is another great one.

Nina Ottosson makes great puzzle toys for treat puzzles (too small to feed full meals), with varying levels of difficulty. There are also tons of DIY puzzle toys on the internet. Anything that works her brain and requires her to think through to solve will help her become a more focused, confident dog.

Hopefully all of the above will translate into increased focus and confidence in class too, but if not, you might want to consider doing some in home training if you can (obviously with the caveat that in home training is expensive af, especially compared to group classes, so I totally understand if this isn’t an option). If group classes are your best option, don’t worry too much about her performance IN class, just focus on doing the homework and building up her responsiveness at home and then slowly transition to the outside world.

With regards to men, it’s probably not something you can completely “solve,” but if she’s food motivated and you have male friends she doesn’t know, ask them to come over and hand feed her. This is one of the most effective ways to build a bond. When men are around, have them give her high value treats and ignore her as best you can, so all good things come from men. But let her take it on her own terms and don’t push her either. Contractors can be scary - generally they’re wearing work boots, carrying big/loud/heavy objects, etc., so that may be a situation you just want to manage instead of trying to train her to be more comfortable - just keep her crated or confined to an area where your contractor won’t be, maybe put on a noise machine or the radio and give her a frozen Kong or bully stick to keep her calm when they’re around.

Not all of this will be helpful or apply to you and your dog, I’m sure, but these are some of the things I find the most successful with my fearful fosters! Best of luck to you and your pupper! You sound like a very dedicated owner 💕

Jumping in to recommend the Bob-A-Lot that I got my dog a few months ago. It seems to be a little more work for her than the Kong Wobbler since you can adjust the hole that the food comes out of. If I don't feed her out of that, I use this dog bowl. Another good way for me to wear her brain out is to take the meal with us on our walks and train a little as we go.

Just recently my friend got me this toy and she loves it. She'll pull all the toys out and play with them for a while, then wait while I stuff them back in again.

Good luck!! I really hope you get to keep your pupper!

This is the one we used after we had our gsd spayed at 6 months. It worked really well. It was a lot more comfortable then the cone. Plus she was still able to get around without banging into everything and fit comfortably in her crate.

My mom has older dog that was doing the same thing on his back leg. What's hard is once there's a sore there the only want to lick it more. She ended put him in a cone and wrapping the leg. Thankfully once it was healed he finally left it alone.

Good luck! Stay strong! It will get better!

KONG Cloud E-Collar, Dog Collar, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045Y1JGG/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_5TQ.zbFE63ZJY

Vets don't provide the best equipment when it comes to that, but I really recommend the cloud collar that is around 15 bucks. A lot of dogs like that collar because their sight isn't inhibited.

Could you do gauze pad soaked in Epsom salt and water and quickly tape it around him? If not, get a doggy diaper, place the cloth in there, and put it on your dog. At that point, your only job is to keep him still as opposed to holding him down. You'll have to get a female diaper, but it would be fairly easy to put a cloth in there and place on your dog. You can get disposable diapers or a cloth diaper with disposable liners. You could even soak the liners/diapers in the solution as they are meant to hold liquid. Not sure how well that would work, but I do suggest trying the diaper and cloth thing.

Is he getting antibiotics? If not, ask your vet about that. Cream, which is good, can be horrible to apply and antibiotics sometimes can replace the cream.

Edit: Also, whenever you apply anything, I highly suggest giving treats or something to occupy him. A kong with peanut butter works amazingly. Anything to associate that routine with something positive and fun for him.

We've had newfs eat entire large batches of chocolate chip cookies with absolutely no Ill effects ...
But I do recommend the Kong doughnut--type cone Much easier for them to eat and maneuver - plus makes a sweet pillow!

You can look into getting a kong brand donut that goes around their neck instead, I used it for my pup and he hated it but it worked like a charm and it looks just like those travel pillows you use on planes.

KONG Cloud E-Collar, Dog Collar, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045Y1JGG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eb12CbVFZ8SHB

Poor pup! That breaks my heart. I'm glad he has good fur-parents. It sounds like he's a strong little dude.

This is what I had to eventually get for my yellow lab: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0045Y1JGG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482119008&sr=8-1&keywords=pet+cones+for+dogs&pi=SX200_QL40

Kong rubber ball extreme? https://www.amazon.com/KONG-Extreme-Ball-Medium-Large/dp/B004VBC0SY/

Zuke's Mini Naturals Dog Treats. Perfect size to use for training treats.

Jolly Ball

Kong Flyer

12-inch bully sticks

7-inch braided bully sticks

Kong Extreme Ball

This Kong ball might be a good option.

I have a Shepherd and a Lab! Here are some of the hits at our house:

TREATS

• Honestly anything you'd feed to a small dog works for a big dog too. Dogs find several small treats more valuable than one big one.
  
• Plato Wild Caught Baltic Sprat is one of my go-to high value rewards right now. They're dehydrated fish, about 3" long, so they can be fed whole or broken into pieces. They have a less visually offputting product called Hundur's Crunch but it's out of stock indefinitely while they fix a supply chain problem.
  
• Anything flavored like green tripe is also popular at our house. It's stinky and gross and packed with nutrients!
  
• Bully sticks are the primary natural chew around here. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You may have to take the last little bit away so he doesn't swallow it whole.
  
  TOYS
  
  
• The #1 toy right now is the Puller...it's a rubbery ring that can be used for fetching, tug, or frisbee-type tricks. Really versatile toy. I wouldn't let a dog play with it unsupervised though, because the rubber wouldn't stand up to sustained chewing.
  
• Flirt poles are a lot of fun! Here is a really nice premade one, but you can make your own pretty cheap with a horse lunge whip and a stuffy toy tied on the end. Dogs that like to chase birds/squirrels will generally love playing with a flirt pole.
  
• This is a food/toy hybrid, but there are tons of puzzle toys out there to make mealtimes a little more enriching if his dog eats from a bowl. We really like the Bob-a-Lot, Magic Mushroom, and Soda Pup Can Toy (filled with wet food and frozen).
  
• For non-edible chews, my dogs are working on this block of tree root.

I don’t use those in particular, my current go tos are the tug a jug, Magic mushroom, and game changer.

I usually show him that kibble comes out and let him go to town. If he seems to be having trouble, I’ll usually show him every couple of minutes what to do but he usually picks it up pretty quick.

I introduced him to them pretty much as soon as I brought him home at 9 weeks. He very rarely gets a meal in a bowl. It’s pretty much training and puzzle toys when I’m feeling lazy.

Can't answer anything area specific but I'll link some toys/beds/products my dogs like.

Food Dispensing Toys

• IQ ball. My dogs eat all their meals out of this one. It is quite loud on hard floors.
  
  
• Bob-a-lot.
  
  
• Magic mushroom
  
  
• Tricky treat ball
  
  
• Kong Wobbler
  
  Puzzles
  
  
• Twister
  
  
• Tornado. This one is fairly easy.
  
  
• Chess 3
  
  
• Move to pull
  
  
• Brick. Very easy but good starter puzzle.
  
  This is a nice bed for dogs who like to burrow/get under covers. They also like beds similar to this one.
  
  Food is up to you. Do some research online and read through ingredients to find a good one. One of my dogs gets Orijen and the other gets Wellness.
  
  I definitely recommend you seek out some training classes. They are also good for socialization in a controlled environment. It's a great way to bond with your dog and really fun to advance through different classes and class types.
  
  The toys my dogs like are beanie babies and kleenex. If your dog is a chewer then don't waste money on stuffed toys.
  

I use this one, which has stood up to a TON of abuse and holds more food than the ball-shaped ones (though probably less than the large kong wobbler). It's great and very engaging since they have to both turn it upside down and then right side up to dispense the food.

I would agree that settling into a routine seemed to help the most with our grey. It took about 3 months for her to settle and for the separation anxiety to fade. We also got her some puzzle toys that we give her only when we leave. She now knows that we give her a toy before we leave and we always come home. The best one I've found is this one but we also have this one and this one.

I feed out of a wobbler or a mushroom, i would highly suggest these over a slow feeder, unless maybe your dog is really senior. There are a variety of slow feeders, ranging from ones with a simple ball placed in the middle to ones that are quite tight and like puzzle map, you will only know what your dog can do by trial and error. Mine definitely can get in to small creases, but she has a very short tongue and so anything long (like a PB jar) she really can't get through. And yes, my dogs face would be flat against it.

Hmm..Make sure it's something yummy - maybe try something you haven't before ie - peanut butter if you use wet dog food, my dog loves plain cream cheese and yogurt in his (low fat/fat free). Some dogs also just might not enjoy the kong for one reason or another, there's plenty of other food puzzles. My pup's favorite non-kong food dispenser is the magic mushroom

This is all great. I think you have a good chance at success with some tips here and some hard work. One thing you didn't mention in this update post is food toys. Freezing in a kong takes extra time but isn't tiring for their brain or body. You could invest in a couple feeder toys that will work his brain and make him move around during mealtimes, and lots of them are actually less work than freezing a kong. For example:

Kong wobbler
Mushroom toy

If you can supervise him outside, you can also just scatter his kibble and make him sniff it out to eat. Using his nose to find food will wear out his brain really, really fast!

I have a few for my bun that I've bought, but I saw that box at Michaels and thought the same thing! I might have to pick it up when I got next. I got this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TOKTEG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 & https://www.amazon.com/TRIXIE-Pet-Products-Board-Level/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=pd_sim_199_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0054Q9TMA&pd_rd_r=5PA45VWEP2AZ8VXYSN9R&pd_rd_w=l77F1&pd_rd_wg=1LEIl&psc=1&refRID=5PA45VWEP2AZ8VXYSN9R for my bunny and he loves them. Figured them out very quickly. There is one I can't find right now I saw that has pull tabs, and essentially the food drops down layers (it's tall) and the animal has to pull the string tabs out to get it. I want to try that one next :) Mine is spoilt as hell.

My mom adopted an nervous wreck of a dog 3 years ago, and she's just starting to come out of her shell. She would whine for over hour once my mother left the house for work, and pee on the floor when new people came over. She had not done the 'play bow' until about a year ago, would stand petrified at the dog park instead of playing. She only figured out how fetch worked this past winter. So it may take your mom's dog a bit of time to re-adjust to the new surroundings.

But I'm not a dog psychologist, so definitely talk to a professional about it. Aside from seeing a vet as /u/PikeleMaster suggested, is she very food motivated? You could try seeing if a puzzle toy of some variety might help with some mental stimulation or distract her enough to not pace.

Do you take him for a long walk at night?

This is a kong. You can fill it with peanut butter and some small treats, freeze it, and it will preoccupy your dog for hours

This is how I feed my dog her meals, she has to push it to get her kibble out, so it mentally stimulates her

Here are some other mentally stimulating toys we use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006ZTTSOE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_lcQAzbWNWKYBJ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FbQAzbTVZQGKH

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014OAYVKG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8cQAzb365KDN2

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F0RRTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HdQAzbMD3G61W

You are welcome! As long as you are constant (ever chance is a chance, complete and consistent with your training you will do well. Understanding that it is a hard long road is good to know and being able to prepare helps.

If your dog is food motivated then use food to motivate. Some use dog food others treats I use treats while training. Good starting indoors then moving out making sure they are solid is what matters. Yes never toys are great get some puzzles to help work brain rotating toys helps too.


My dog loves these:
Trixie Gambling Tower, Level 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002XCTUIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BbcWCbP64KRC7

Trixie Pet Products Flip Board, Level 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_accWCbTMGCZK1

Legend Sandy Treat Dispensing Dog Toy, Plush Dog Puzzle Toy for Snuffle Training, Duck Dog Chew Toy Interactive IQ Dog Squeaky Toy for Small Medium Large Dogs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N8MPQNP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vccWCb171ENCZ

I have a lady at local park scare of dogs over the past 6 months seeing how well behaved my girl is she now ask to pet her when she sees her. I do understand it might be hard for her. Maybe she will just throw a treat from afar it still will be good.

I have to be early to work so mornings are usually a no go, but late evening are usually tolerable. We have a few different ones but any that are like [this. ](trixie pet products flip board, level 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_klV4Db3WG3DWF) Something that makes him work for it with tiny details. He has gotten pretty smart though and if I don't hold the board down, he picks the whole thing up and turns it upside down.

Also, the Kong Wobbler . He broke the first one so we had to get the biggest one they had. I'll usually feed him his meals this way to make sure he gets the ants in his pants out.

I'm always looking for new suggestions though! He is a smart lil asshole who destroys EVERY TOY so i always gotta make sure anything I get him is pretty durable.

Haha, I have this Trixie flip board myself. It's pretty well made and has held up well. The only problem is that Frankfurt's too good at it now. Been trying to decide which Trixie toy to get next :P

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054Q9TMA

I and using a rake brush similar to this (I think mine has shorter spikes)brush Right now I’m just doing one or two passes when he falls asleep, sometimes I can get more depending on how hard he sleeps. I got him about a month ago. I This is good information thank you

I brush all three of my cats every day and it really helps with shedding and the cats love it.

This works really well on short hair cats:

https://www.amazon.com/Coastal-Pet-Undercoat-Designed-Undercoats/dp/B0083TSC64?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3

Great post.

I'd like to add-One of my absolute most essential tools for my sam - a rake, specifically one with very wide teeth. This is the one I've got: Coastal Pet - Safari Long Tooth Undercoat Dog Rake

Once they start to blow their coat, it's absolutely essential (helps gently pull all of the loose fur off). I had a smaller one for when he was a pup and it worked great!

I think these are pretty cute, but since it's a dome it seems like it would be difficult to cover unless you attached some shutters on the interior side.

This seems like a better solution.

They even make port hole windows for dogs.
http://www.amazon.com/PetPeek-Fence-Window-for-Pets/dp/B00BHBJPHA

It's one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ESMUWS6

You just kinda set it up and let it do its thing. My neighbors, when they do have their dogs out late, give them a collar that I believe shocks them when they bark. They go around growling which I can still hear to a lesser degree but I find that less of a humane solution than the birdhouse

No idea how well these things work, but it may be worth a try....

Try one of these maybe? Has been posted on Reddit before and people have said they work: https://www.amazon.com/DOGTEK-Sonic-Control-Outdoor-Indoor/dp/B00ESMUWS6

Also this

I haven't used this, but have a friend who says it worked for their similar situation (though barking, now howling):

https://www.amazon.ca/DOGTEK-BirdHouse-Control-Outdoor-Indoor/dp/B00ESMUWS6

https://www.amazon.com/DOGTEK-Sonic-Control-Outdoor-Indoor/dp/B00ESMUWS6

In an ideal world, yes. But most people will either use bags they have from the store or the cheap ones from the local pet store or Amazon. Neither are biodegradable. Environment friendly dog waste bags cost more. These ones on Amazon are $14 for 900 cheap bags or $26 for 900 of the biodegradable ones.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NABTGY2

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N3K01YO

Holy... those are $0.50 / bag?! It's hard to be environmentally responsible with poop bags when this is the alternative. =/

yup!

Very happy with their Paper Shredder, much less so with their poop bags (not reliably fully perforated).

I have this one ...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/BarksBar-Original-Seat-Cover-Cars/dp/B019EOQ6AK&ved=2ahUKEwiondmo86DkAhXr01kKHY_5AeQQFjAAegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw3a5p5EQPC-WebCbPLiRsuQ&cshid=1566835031859

It's inexpensive and works well. Has two little handles on the backside to tuck between the cushions to keep it in place.

I just got one of these for each of our cars and don’t worry about it

Here you are, friend.

https://www.amazon.com/BarksBar-Original-Seat-Cover-Cars/dp/B019EOQ6AK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486251238&sr=8-3&keywords=dog+car+seat+covers

I have something like this in my truck. Keeps the wet, dirty, shedding mutt somewhat separate from the rest of the interior. Also keeps her in the back. Well worth the $20.

BarksBar Original Pet Seat Cover... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019EOQ6AK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I have a lab so am more worried about mud than the seats ripping, but I use one of these. Cheap and effective.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019EOQ6AK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_CHBJzbM2BND4D

here you are

It’s garbage, I’ve actually been meaning to order a cabelas version(lifetime warranty).

This model I have has ripped and flaked apart in less than 8 months. Granted I use it more than most. Anyway, steer clear, I’ve had to sew the zipper portion shut since it broke in first 2 months.

This is what I got for my pup on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B019EOQ6AK/ref=pd_aw_vtph_199_bs_tr_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6EATM2TGWZ6ACP1DPA6E
I have one like this and I love it.

Pretty sure this is the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B019EOQ6AK

EDIT: Since it sounds from your post like you just let your dogs roam around in the trunk while the car is moving, please try these out. They let you buckle the dog into a seatbelt: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000301EHK

I got this one and it's been working pretty well. The little side flaps don't line up perfectly with the sides of the seats, but for $20, I say good enough! The pup loves it too. He likes to lay down with his head cradled, and suspended between the front seats.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019EOQ6AK

I currently use this cover and this harness with one of the seatbelt hooks that connects the harness to one of the seat belts for my five month old Newfoundland puppy.

It works pretty well and it's made from a super durable fabric. The only downside is that it doesn't have any sides to protect the doors or stop him from going into the floorboards, my biggest issue is that he likes to slip between the door and the side of the hammock to get to the floorboard.

I have a coworker that has a GTI and the seat hammock that he has for his car does have sides, I'll ask him where he got it and I'll post a link once I find out.

FYI they make car dog hammocks for the back seat of your car

Tespo Pet Playpen, Portable Large Plastic Yard Fence Small Animals, Puppy Kennel Crate Fence Tent (Transparent White 12 Panels, 60x60x28 Inches) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_orYBDbYZ28J58

I've been looking at this

You could trim the grass, partially bury (maybe 1 inch) and create a play area for them. Looks like you could get multiple sets and link them together to create a large area.

I've got the same problem coming up. I'm planning on leaving for Thanksgiving for about a week and taking my bun to my friend's place to bunsit. I put down a large washable puppy pad and fleece on the floor at home to protect my floors and I'm planning on getting these as they are far lighter and easier to assemble than my metal pen at home.

You can use plastic play pens like these:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FQ411ZH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RdsLDbSZEYX5G or
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_besLDbY5Z9CB5
so it’s harder for them to climb or chew and you can build them however you like. Just make sure you have enough toys and stimulation for them and always supervise them.

I found this on Amazon. It's $50, the panels are plastic to help contain messes, and large enough. 12 panels can be shaped how you like.
Tespo Dog Playpen, Portable Large Plastic Yard Fence Small Animals, Popup Kennel Crate Fence Tent, Transparent White 12 Panels, 60"x60"X28'' (Transparent White) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06XTG94TH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_LLLXCb52CH9PF

He is cute as hell!! Also, he is a terror-terrier, you got a double whammy there with him being a chihuahua AND a min pin! They are pretty smart and usually know when they are being bad. Have you tried belly bands? You can get washable/reusable packs or disposables if that's better. Basically you put them on covering his penis when he is in the house after his walk, then remove it after you get outside for his next walk. Though what he is doing sounds like submission peeing which could be a whole different issue. ...

I do know that frustration you are feeling. I felt it with my male when he was that age and now with my female. Try working on new tricks or things to build a stronger bond, and maybe get him some busy toys? The IQ ball is awesome now for my troublesome female- it keeps her busy and rewards her for playing rather than being destructive.

It will pass, hang in there and force yourself to snuggle and love him as much as you can!! :)

Bake him some dog biscuits! Or give him your left over ribs ;) Or he would love these!

Toy 1

Toy 2

If the little one is food motivated-
https://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treal-Colors/dp/B003ARUKU0

Works best on a hard surface! When they try to pin it down it shoots away from them.

We've always used puzzle feeders for our dog, even as a puppy. We did some hand-feeding early on per our trainer's suggestion to make sure our dog didn't become resource aggressive, then moved to a bowl in which we would slowly drop the kibble, and then a bowl where we would add treats as he was eating.

When we started feeding kibble without any kind of interruptions, we immediately started with puzzles.

First we used the star, then went to the iq puzzle ball when our pups' snout got to big, and now use this one.

> Your weekend ignore training regime, was that again in an x pen? Where you frequently went in/out of the room but not pen?
>
>

My puppy is a 16 week old Indian pariah mix that we've had since she was 12 weeks (though separated from her mother at <6 weeks, since that's the age the fosters found her at as a lost stray). The breed is known for its social playing, intelligence, but is also not big on cuddling.

I don't have an X-pen, but we do have a puppy gate: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0089HDZYY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 that has been a lifesaver.
Cords have been moved behind big furniture, like the couch, where she can't reach them.

My dog has a lot of food-toys and chews.

Food ball: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ARUKU0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bob-a-lot: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YHB8EI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

"Wood" stick we use to lure her away from tempting wooden furniture legs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0754P3NSC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Solo-playing works best with toys that make a noise or move on their own (at least for my puppy). We've found a hard golf ball that noisily rolls across the floor (debatable whether this is a good idea; right now our puppy is too small to fit it fully in her mouth, let alone choke on it, but it's definitely hard enough that I worry she might break a tooth. But no signs of aggressive chewing yet), but she also likes other balls and stuffed toys (which she just takes in her mouth and shakes about wildly).

IMO, the food-dispensing toys are a must-have.

We also leave her dog bed and crate available in this space, and a blanket on the floor, that she likes to sit on while she chews.

Weekend training regime is the same as anything else. Dog in the living room, living room closed off with puppy gate so she can't follow us out, and is in a relatively puppy-proofed space, and toys and chews left strewn about.

She mostly sleeps through the day, now, knowing we won't engage with her playing. If she's being too noisy or needy, I'll leave her alone in the puppy-gated living room and work in another room.

I hope this helps!

You could try non-chew activity toys. My pup particularly likes the plastic food-dispensing balls. http://amzn.com/B003ARUKU0

We've been using this one for the past few months and it's been great. It takes my dog about 7-10 minutes to get all the food out. Plus it's super entertaining to watch her play with it.

I feed my dog breakfast every day in this: https://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob-Lot-Interactive-Small/dp/B003YHB8EI.

I like it because it involves both physical and mental exercise and it takes my dog about 30 mins to complete.

How about a treat dispensing toy?

IQ Ball

Omega Tricky Treat Ball

Planet Dog Mazee

Busy Buddy Magic Mushroom

Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble

Busy Buddy Tug a Jug

Kong Wobbler

Bob-a-Lot

My Springer spaniel girl loves puzzle toys! I got her a Bobalot and Kong 'flying saucer' plus a puzzle bowl, all of which she loves!

Just to chime in: I have a Corgi pup, and we bought her this. It’s been clutch.

You can dispense treats with it, but we often put her food in it to occupy her while we eat.

Hi. I'm late, and my stuff is similar to yours but I'll show you anyway.

Our piglet LOVES this thing, we put cheerio halves inside: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YHB8EI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00

I made this rooting box last wknd during the snow storm and he now uses it once a day. I went the cheap route w the pans until I knew he'd actually use it. That's regular hay sprayed down with water and we add raw cut up veggies.
http://imgur.com/YM4DK4r

Also, this bed is the best. He roots in it 24/7 and tires himself out. I also have a hot water bottle in there that is kind of heavy, he likes digging under it and rooting into it too.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GQV68U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

Good luck!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YHB8EI

When my older BC had surgery to remove a wee lump, the vet didn't give her a cone, but a neck pillow - kind of like you see people use on airplanes. It was great! Worked really well, and it didn't seem to humiliate her that much. (http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Cloud-E-Collar-Collar-Large/dp/B0045Y1JGG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)

While Clifford is displeased, he’s still adorable. May I ask if he’s tolerating the donut on his neck well, and if he is what kind is it?

Edit: I see the Kong label. Not sure if it’s from the donut or it went with something else originally 🙂

Edit 2: Found it!

Cones are horrible. Most dogs hate them, including my own. Get yourself the soft, pillowy kind.

Alternatively, if you're okay with spending more money, there are inflatable oversized "donuts" that can go around your dog's neck which are normally used to prevent licking, but might prevent the dog from being able to scratch it's ears too. They have full peripheral vision and their nose can still hit the ground. Here's an example:

https://www.amazon.com/KONG-Cloud-E-Collar-Collar-Large/dp/B0045Y1JGG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1486665805&sr=1-1&keywords=dog+donut+neck

For the future https://smile.amazon.com/KONG-Cloud-Collar-Collar-Large/dp/B0045Y1JGG?sa-no-redirect=1

If you're able to get to a pet store in today, there are inflatable donut collars that we've used with my dog that are really great.

They look like airline sleeping pillows. They make it impossible for the dog to lick but easier to be in confined spaces:

King Comfy Cone:
https://www.amazon.com/KONG-Cloud-E-Collar-Collar-Large/dp/B0045Y1JGG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1503780803&sr=8-4&keywords=comfy+cone

You can actually buy a similar product, we have one for our small dog and it works great.
https://www.amazon.com/KONG-Cloud-Collar-Collar-Large/dp/B0045Y1JGG

I haven't had to deal with anything like this so I can't give any advice, sorry. I'd be worried with the hard muzzle aggravating the wound more if he was trying to get at it. Have you tried one of those blow up rings instead of the cone? Like this: KONG Cloud E-Collar, Dog Collar, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045Y1JGG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1ZkWzbQ3DDDGY
I've heard good things about them.

Tennis balls last less than 10 minutes with my dog. A raquetball is too small. So far the Kong Ball is the only thing that can stand up to my shark dog.

Reggie is BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations!

My dogs are smaller, but they love to destroy things. They never "savor" their toys. Kong balls are amazing, but I'm sure you're aware. My dogs have a TON of nylabones that last forever. They really like the dinosaur and it's inexpensive as well.

Here are my GSP rescues wearing tie-dye! They would really enjoy this puppy cake as a prize!

Good luck to you and your new pup!

This is our 8 month old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Winston!

He chews and chews and chews, but he's pretty good at keeping it to his toys (and the occasional stray sock)

His favourites (and those that haven't given up after about 5 minutes are the Kong ball, Kong classic, Kong squeezze, elk antlers and finally Nylabones (I tend to buy one size up to avoid him tearing through them...

He is a surprisingly strong chewer and has destroyed just about everything else we've presented to him within minutes, sometimes within seconds!

There are 3 pitbulls around my place and I find they have LOTS of energy...I would suggest that you invest in some "agility equipment" to work the mind and the body! We bought some cheap shower tension rods to use as jumping obstacles in the hallway, a play tunnel from IKEA - although it may be too small for a pit...and this summer, we will make some weave poles out of PVC pipes and stuff.

A travel bowl or this Nylabone dinosaur would be awesome for Winston! :D

Thanks so much for the contest and congrats on the new pup! Enjoy him and snuggle him and love him! Dogs are the best! :D

This is Bugsy. He is my pitbull.

Other than the kongs, thick ropes last long with him. Especially knotted like so. They arent indestructable, but they wont be gone in a day either.

I want dis for bugsy haha

Really? That long? Congrats! we're going on 3 years but looking toward the future. My pup NIk would love this ball; he chews through everything else.

I second this. Anything less than Kong and you're wasting your time.

KONG Extreme Ball, Dog Toy, Medium/Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VBC0SY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_GDTLwbE180SYW

get some kongs from amazon, and rope toys they freaking love them this is what i have bought for mine, he is currently 5 and so months and finishing the teething cycle, sorry for the links in mexican amazon but we are from mexico :P
https://www.amazon.com.mx/gp/product/B004VBC0SY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com.mx/gp/product/B00KNWVPFO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

guerilla gorillas

Fur my doggy. It's a Kong ball that looks virtually indestructible, though I'm sure my dog could find a way!

That one is $8.99 :)

sorry - totally spaced on this!!

this is my personal favorite, but we also rotate between the following:

kibble nibble

tug a jug - but we removed the rope

buster cube - this one is pretty tricky and may frustrate pups new to feeding from a meal dispensing toy

kibble dispensing toys:

• starmark bobalot --adjustable opening sizes, separate compartment for extra goodies.
  
• petsafe magic mushroom -- adjustable openings
  
• omega tricky treat ball -- treat ball for kibble and smallish treats
  
• JW Treat Ball -- treat ball for larger pieces of dog biscuit
  
  goop/cheese/mush holders:
  
  
• classic kong for all the things.
  
• nylabone marrow bone--good with melted cheese smeared inside.
  
• goughnuts cup--no hole in the bottom, so easy to fill with liquid and then freeze.
  
  Puzzles:
  
  
• trixie brand puzzles like this one require a bit more finesse, but once the dog gets the hang of it it's fun.
  
• ball sleeve (non-food option)
  
• kyjen ball inside ball (non-food option), also good with a stuffed animal hidden inside.
  
  random combinations of other toys. For example,
  
  
• a stuffed jolly pets monster mouth can be wedged neatly inside dog savers tire for a greater challenge.
  
• the narrow end of a small classic kong can be wedged neatly in the opening of an orbee tuff toy
  
  * fixed a link
  

Our husky ... and I suppose most huskies ... is very odd with her eating habits.

• She will sometimes choose NOT to eat from a certain bowl. Put the food in a different bowl - No problem. Eats it up.
  
  
• Sometimes she wont eat her kibble from a bowl at all but will eat it from the floor or a plate.
  
  
• Sometimes she will only eat kibble from her food puzzle.
  
  
• She is picky with her food and sometimes will choose not to eat at all unless we change her food.
  
  Etc, etc, etc.

This - make eating fun, engaging, and mentally stimulating!

My guy eats every single meal out of either a Kong or one of these. I do a lot of work and mental development with him, and if I could only do one thing, it would be the practice of active feeding.

I very seriously cannot recommend it enough. The mental exercise every meal seems like nothing, but the dog is not only doing it a few times a day, every day, but also getting rewarded for problem solving. If you want a smarter, more resourceful, calmer, and happier dog, practice active feeding!

This is the one I use most often.
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Buddy-Mushroom-Dispensing-Medium/dp/B00520EJXW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491934265&sr=8-1&keywords=busy+buddy+mushroom
You can adjust the difficulty. It's hard plastic though, so if you don't have carpet it makes some noise when they toss it around.

My dog would do the same thing. He is supper sound oriented with his food. The one I found he liked was this one. He could see the food and he could hear the food and I could dial up the difficulty when needed. Might be worth a shot.

We bought our goldendoodle some puzzle toys. These help a lot. Unfortunately he has figured them out and just solves it in seconds now lol.

https://www.amazon.com/TRIXIE-Pet-Products-Board-Level/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518452513&sr=8-3&keywords=dog+puzzle&dpID=416kgbG3sHL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch


https://www.amazon.com/Trixie-Mad-Scientist-Dogs-Level/dp/B003TOKTEG/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1518452513&sr=8-9&keywords=dog+puzzle

Thanks for the contest! I have my eyes set on this for my pup. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054Q9TMA/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=IKP88ZR4RS9YV&colid=278FT8GJ1O78S&psc=1

It sounds like he really likes toys he can destroy. My basenji is the same, he's only interested in the stimulation of being able to "solve" a toy. I found that a puzzle toy was really engaging for him, since it gave him an outlet for his creativity(?)

We use the large KONG Extreme Dog Toy, Medium, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GUDZO2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sQ81AbHCEGYVC, trixies flipboard 2 TRIXIE Pet Products Flip Board, Level 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_RR81AbJEX56X9. treat ball OurPets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_oS81AbJ0XDRE8, a treat hiding thing Dog Smart Treat Dispensing Dog Toy Brain and Exercise Game for Dogs by Nina Ottosson https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711Y9Y8W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_MS81AbJWBH0TC, a rolling nibble kibble PetSafe Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble Meal Dispensing Dog Toy, Medium/Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F0RRUA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FT81AbYG9PW7N, a self toy KONG Rambler Ball, Large (colors vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BBGRT4Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_wU81AbYC200R4, and a large tug a jug PetSafe Medium/Large Sportsmen Tug A Jug Pet Chew Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K4KZ8M0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_LV81AbFBTP67F.

The kong I use spread treats inside because dry treats last only a few seconds.

Trixies flipboard is low to meh at getting her attention, sometimes she doesnt care for the food to bother with it.

Iq treat ball she finds a way to break, pushing into a wall, chomping on it, the moment you look away.

The hide a treat thing is easy for her.

The nibble kibble is the same as the treat ball.

The kong rambler she easily pulls the ball from its station and the toy is moot, now its just a ball.

The tug a jug becomes a weapon that she whips around until it smashes open.

The one thing I have noticed that can keep her attention is a pile of wood we have outside. Inside that pile of wood is chipmunks and squirrels that she messes with until I call her over. I'm thinking that she enjoys live toys? Or does she it as just something for her to herd.

u/crysanthemumCord is right on with their advice.

Just some more suggestions on toys: I almost buy dogs toys exclusively from Amazon or Chewy. I find that their prices are competitive, and who doesn't like having packages delivered right to them? Kongs are great, but there are also treat balls that dogs can roll around with their noses for kibble -- I feed my dogs from these so they get a bit of mental play while searching for their food. You can also consider snuff mats or lick mats or even puzzle toys. These are great ways to stimulate them mentally with minimal effort from you.

If you have stores like Marshalls or Ross near you, you can also find discounted dog toys. You'll have to dig around a little, but there are some great finds!

By the way, all of these links go to particular brands that I've had luck with. I'm by no means suggesting that these are the best or that there aren't alternatives out there. Do some research on what you think your pup will enjoy!

​

I bought one of these and one of these. Hopefully she gets the flip board. She only likes toys that are food related so I want more enrichment for her.

I was thinking of getting her one of these treat balls for her food too.

She eats soooo fast and then she burps so I am getting worried about it! I have been trying 3x a day.

Dogit Mind Games 3-in-1 Interactive Smart Toy for Dogs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045DKZ6M/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_UlRuyb1G87S7G

TRIXIE Pet Products Flip Board, Level 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_.mRuybDJAXKES

Company of Animals Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado Interactive Plastic Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001KZ8FWE/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_DoRuyb1A4JKYH

DIY - freeze some kibble/treats in a Popsicle, put some kibble/treats in an empty water bottle (our dog really likes the really cheap/thin ones that crinkle when squeezed), take a muffin tin and put kibble/treats in the holes and put tennis balls on top of them (we started with a mini muffin tin so the tennis balls just sat on top of the holes so they were easy to remove, then when he was good at that, we moved to a regular muffin tin)

Commercial - Kong, Kong Wobbler, Trixie Toys (lots of options), Omega Ball, Hide-a-Squirrel, Tornado

If you haven't already, read these books; I can't stress enough how much they saved our lives. Perfect Puppy in 7 Days and Before and After Getting your Puppy. They're highly recommended here and for good reason.

My dog hasn't ever really "gotten" the logic toys that are in the form of a ball that you roll around, but we've started getting him puzzleboards and he loves them! It took him a while to learn and he gets super excited now whenever we bring it out. There's a whole series of them and we're about to get our bud his second one!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0054Q9TMA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499449077&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+trixie+puzzle+board&dpPl=1&dpID=416kgbG3sHL&ref=plSrch

My girl (Bernese Mountain Dog, 3) is very sensitive and HATES baths, so I do it myself to make sure she doesn't get overwhelmed / have a negative experience. We go to one of the self serve dog washes in our city and it works great. It costs $10 to use the bath, shampoo, and blowdryer. Best of all is that when she shakes and gets water everywhere, it's no biggie. I use their shampoo, but bring my own brushes:

• Undercoat rake for getting out the loose hair
  
• Dematting comb to thin the tail / skirt feathers (she's not matted, but a groomer friend showed me how this comb can be used to trim longer fur without breaking out the scissors. It's a great technique!)
  
  We go once every 2 months(ish) during the winter, and 1-2x / month in the summer.
  
  I don't trim her nails in the summer (plenty of off leash excursions to wear them down) but in the winter I use a regular clipper. She hates it, so I just try to do 1 per day as I notice them getting too long.
  
  

Congrats!! If you've never had a puppy before, my #1 recommendation is to get a trainer who will come to your house and work with you. They are more for you than for the dog. We did that and while it was really expensive, it was a blessing!

One thing our trainer told us is to let the puppy have access to only a little bit of the house at a time. A crate helps with that, but we didn't want it to feel like punishment and we wanted to be able to let him play around just as a dog in a controlled area. So we bought this playpen and zip tied it to the crate. You can also get linoleum to put underneath the playpen area, but make sure it's all one sheet (otherwise he'll chew on the ends). That also helps clean up potty mistakes!

Speaking of potty, we got a little bell to put on the door. We made him nudge it with his nose or paw (basically picked him up) every time we went out. Then when we finally let him explore more, he knew how to let us know he had to go. Of course, he also used it just as an excuse to go outside, so there's that.

You mentioned you're good to go on crates--did you get one that is life stages and lets you adjust how much room is available? Not a huge deal if not, but if you did, make sure you use it. They don't need a whole lot of room in the crate because they'll just pee on one end and sleep on the other.

For grooming, you don't really need a lot for a puppy (at least in our experience, and our older dog grew up to be a HUGE fluffball). You're more likely to hurt him and turn him off. For our grown up guys, we use a pin brush, a rake brush, a de-matting comb, grooming scissors, and dremmel. We also do your normal ear cleaning solution (we get ours from the vet, so I don't remember the brand offhand, it's the same thing as online) and shampoo. This is what we used when they were puppies. Another essential is puppy wipes for pesky danglers and muddy paws.

For a puppy, though, I really wouldn't use all that stuff. We used a little kong brush to get him used to a brush on his fur, but we didn't even use that until his fur was a little longer (but still too short to use the other brushes). The big thing with grooming a puppy is getting him used to you touching him EVERYWHERE. Stick your fingers in his ears and mouth, rub all over his paws, make him lay down on his back in your lap, etc. Definitely start on nails asap--even if you don't actually trim them, just holding the dremmel up to their nails and getting them used to it helps A LOT. Also the ear cleaner is an essential for golden puppies. Our trainer and vet both told us to drop it in their ears, let them shake their heads, then use q-tips in all the nooks and crannies.

Other essential products are LOTS of toys. You'll figure out real quick what your guy likes. Our first dog was more of a casual chewer, so fabric toys worked, but our second dog LOVES to eat fabric so we had to go with hard toys only. I highly recommend toys by West Paw! As you know, golden puppies will chew on LITERALLY EVERYTHING so you need a backup distractor toy at all times to replace the flavor of the minute. Keep in mind that if you give up trying to stop them chewing on something (say, for example, your computer chair), they will think it's ok to chew on that for the rest of their life. :(

We also got a slow-feeder bowl because our guys gobble down their food like it will disappear if they don't. And if your guy is really annoying with the water bowl (i.e., repeatedly knocking it over), don't worry too much--he'll grow out of it. I recommend keeping a towel under it until he learns all he wants to know about water!

Have fun with your little guy!!!! I'll add anything else I can think of later but feel free to ask if there's anything else you're curious about!

I watched a groomer video recently and found all of these from her video

• http://smile.amazon.com/Coastal-Pet-Safari-Undercoat-Designed/dp/B0083TSC64
  
• http://smile.amazon.com/Steel-Large-Grooming-Style-Ideal/dp/B00Y1NN5TK
  
• http://smile.amazon.com/Safari%C2%AE-Dual-Sided-Stainless-Steel-Shedding/dp/B0002ARR22
  
• http://smile.amazon.com/Your-Dog-078279-102-Combo-Brush/dp/B00ICB3OWU
  
• http://smile.amazon.com/Wahl-Large-Slicker-Brush-858407/dp/B002GKRAWI

That will be one large dog!

High Five for getting him to a great home.

I'd present the new owner with a couple of items. Rake Brush and Training book

https://www.amazon.com/Safari-W6116-De-matting-Comb/dp/B0002ARR2W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499712358&sr=8-1&keywords=matt+rake

Use this for de-matting the back end. Works great and is gentle and safe. Those blades are sharp but the rounded edge is not sharpened.

https://www.amazon.com/Coastal-Pet-Safari-Undercoat-Designed/dp/B0083TSC64/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499712440&sr=1-7&keywords=undercoat+rake

and

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DIRYG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_O79wzbCFSBEAN

for de-tangling use an undercoat rake with rotating pins, and the single row static rake to pull the hair out.

https://www.amazon.com/Slicker-Dog-Cat-Grooming-Brush/dp/B00P9MZB9E/ref=sr_1_13?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499712524&sr=1-13&keywords=dog+brush+slicker

Then I'll use a slicker to make him soft and shiny.

An undercoat rake and a Kong Zoom Groom (I have short-haired shepherds).

Looks like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083TSC64/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_f3C6wbXBEZ6MK

We picked up the Safari rake you mentioned, and I had a couple questions regarding brushing.

• With this brush as well as other, do you always brush in the direction of that coat or is it useful to sometime "go against the grain"?
  
  When I was using the rake earlier, I was going along his coat without putting pressure down onto his skin (in both in the direction of his coat). When I was going with the flow of his coat, I got pretty much all the hair, but when I went the opposite direction there were some clumps that I brushed out.
  
  
• With the pin brush / comb I had the same question regarding which direction to brush in.

How about...

https://www.amazon.com/PetPeek-Fence-Window-for-Pets/dp/B00BHBJPHA

Some things I find cool that I'd get for a boyfriend (well myself too):

this book.

This fish hotel

this for the puppers

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BHBJPHA/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_2gQszb21SAH0Q

They make these too,https://www.amazon.com/PetPeek-Fence-Window-for-Pets/dp/B00BHBJPHA in case you don't want strangers feeding your dog mystery treats

These are available on Amazon and are called pet peek fence windows.

They make a little submarine style bubble for wood fences specifically for this reason. You should just install that. It's under 40$, called the PetPeek.

https://www.amazon.com/PetPeek-Fence-Window-for-Pets/dp/B00BHBJPHA

Product Image

I scoured the web high and low -- in search of your linked pic,

I looked around and soon I found

your item -- that was quick!

The above is this item's information as of 12-12-2016

Product Title: PetPeek Fence Window for Pets

Rating: 5/5 stars

---------------------------------------------------

^Incorrect ^Image ^| ^Get ^A ^Bot

Source: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BHBJPHA/ref=strm_fn_nad_1_1

[PetPeekFence] (http://www.amazon.com/PetPeek-Fence-Window-for-Pets/dp/B00BHBJPHA/ref=sr_1_89?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1376030945&sr=1-89) Not sure how much your neighbors would love it! But I think its cute!

[DoggySunGlasses] (http://www.amazon.com/Doggles-Small-Pink-Frame-Lens/dp/B003NTO7L8/ref=sr_1_22?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1376031036&sr=1-22) BECAUSE. REASONS. :P

It does have a longer life, and comes with a guarantee that can be passed on to the next homeowner (if I decide to sell my home). An occasional powerwash is the only maintenance it needs. I got the "Cedar" color. It has a "random" grain to it that makes each panel uniform, but unique. I think it only comes in 6'.

There's also "Redwood" color and white you can find on their website.

They also installed a Pet Peek window for the dog. I bought it separately and they installed it - (in use)

[Edit: Added link to Amazon and my review with pics of the dog using the window.]

perhaps arrange HUMAN DEVICE in a tesseract array so {barking} causes resonance in only d̺̺̯̞͖͠o͕̫̹g͓ detectable dimensionsss

• Find a local well-known dog obedience class.
  
  
• Ultrasonic Dog Bark Control.
  
  
• Bark collar.

I've heard of these working on VIN a few times. Mixed reviews on amazon though but it's worth a shot I reckon.

DOGTEK Sonic BirdHouse Bark Control Outdoor/Indoor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ESMUWS6/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_BDCbvb175EBPS

I have this. It worked for my dog nearly instantly. He was barking constantly while I was at work (evening job), driving my neighbors in my apartment building crazy. Some of the reviewers hang it on their trees outside or something. Some dogs don't care and keep barking, or they don't put it together that bark = unpleasant noise.

Own this, it works. I use it one/two days a month, and the neighbor’s dog will completely stop barking for at least a few weeks. It has to be pretty close to the dog for both the sensor and speaker to function accurately. https://www.amazon.com/DOGTEK-Sonic-Control-Outdoor-Indoor/dp/B00ESMUWS6

NTA. But as a preemptive measure, you may want to check into getting some of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ESMUWS6

We got the 900 count box and it's so awesome.

I ordered the timberwolf leash last night. Looks great. Then I found this brand -mydogscool and they are made with climbing rated rope. Got me thinking I can make something like this myself. I am going to give it a try and see what I can come up with.

Only been a dog owner for two months, so still learning a lot about dog products. My favorites so far:

Chuckit Ultra ball


Kongs


Odin treat "balls" - Soft and my pup can pick it up making it much more fun than the hard plastic kind. Found it locally for half the price on the site. You can even combine two of them to make it more difficult for them.

Gamma2 Vittles Vault Plus for food storage.

Multipet's 11.5-Inch Latex Polka Dot Globken Chicken Dog Toy Makes a great chicken noise. Not good for strong chewers.

Carlson extra tall pet gate with cat door - keeps puppy away from kitty room and food.

Cheap poop bags AmazonBasics Dog Waste Bags with Dispenser and Leash Clip

Clickers - Like this style best. Easy to press no mater how you hold it.

Yea I totally agree, my wife and I quickly moved to this:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Waste-Bags-Dispenser-Leash/dp/B00NABTGY2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1522549748&sr=8-3&keywords=doggie+bags

I like dogs and I get pissed off at people who don't clean up after their dogs. If it's your yard, you can do what you like. There's no excuse not to have a bag or two to clean up your dog's shit on a walk or park though. There are even convenient dispensers you can attach the the leash.

Seconding the Kong idea. This is my list, based on the Digital Dog Training Book linked to in the sidebar:

Puppy Immediate Needs

• puppy Kongs probably want 3–4 of these and maybe in different sizes
  
  
• metal crate (adjustable, buy for size of fully-grown dog)
  
  
• travel crate (not adjustable, buy for size of dog currently, if needed)
  
  
• fur remover x2—one for me and one for my partner
  
  
• dog appeasing pheromone plugin We use a similar one for our cats and will definitely be using it when the puppy arrives to appease the cats and also this one to make the transition from mommy's home to our home easier for the pup
  
  
• freeze-dried liver treats these tend to be "high value" treats for all dogs, so are a good place to start, but YMMV
  
  
• treat pouch
  
  Later Needs/Growing Puppy/Dog Needs
  
  
• portable water bowl
  
  
• portable water bowl
  
  
• poop bags
  
  
• adult kongs: Realtree football, Squirrel Dude, Kong biscuit ball 1, Kong biscuit ball 2, Kong genius 1, Kong genius 2, Updog Odin
  
  
• harness
  
  
• leash/collar light there's a million of these but this one doesn't need any batteries (!)
  
  
  I also have an extensive Etsy list with collars, leashes, running leashes, and tags.

No, they are the Amazon basic ones. $20 for 900 of them.

AmazonBasics Dog Waste Bags with Dispenser and Leash Clip - 900-Count https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00NABTGY2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JIwWzb8JBCT0N

i think 20% off if you've got amazon prime:
https://www.amazon.ca/AmazonBasics-Waste-Bags-Dispenser-Leash/dp/B00NABTGY2/ref=s9_simh_gw_g199_i2_r?pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=DV6Q8BTQT8346RMCSD5F&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=f4dca9a4-4208-4913-8251-cf997ab4eae9&pf_rd_i=desktop

I myself use these. They're cheap and they work pretty darn good.

Before we got a litter genie we just used the same poop bags we have for our dog for cleaning out the litter box.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NABTGY2/

https://www.amazon.com/BarksBar-Original-Seat-Cover-Cars/dp/B019EOQ6AK/ref=pd_lpo_199_bs_t_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=VPV7XH356MRZB8VAV05S

Just ah...for the next car ride...so you can drive in peace.

Amazon . not the exact one but similar, has served me well in keeping dirt and claw marks off.

I've got a hammock in the back seat which works GREAT. There's no way for her to fall off the seat into the foot-well if I stop short or turn, and the front of the hammock prevents her from jumping up to the front of the car. The one I linked above isn't the exact one I have (can't remember the brand) but there are a lot of similar ones out there.

Hello fellow furry dog owner. My dog sheds too. I found that adding one of these to my car helps alot. They are super easy to take in and out.

http://www.amazon.com/BarksBar-Original-Seat-Cover-Cars/dp/B019EOQ6AK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1458527387&sr=8-5&keywords=car+hammock

poop guard just gana leave this here !

not a seat cover solution, but since you mentioned hammock setup...

i have one of these and it does a really great job keeping hair off the backseat/floor.

https://www.amazon.com/BarksBar-Original-Seat-Cover-Cars/dp/B019EOQ6AK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1520692386&sr=8-3&keywords=car+hammock+dog&dpID=519HKxcJG2L&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

when I roll w/ the seats "flat" i let it drap from the front seats down and overlap another blanket to run to the back.

This https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019EOQ6AK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apis_1504748391481

I got a waterproof hammock type one. Very protective, relatively easy to remove, and very secure.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B019EOQ6AK/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1536634308&sr=8-4&keywords=dog+car+hammock+waterproof&dpPl=1&dpID=519HKxcJG2L&ref=plSrch

Similar to this. I definitely like and appreciate mine.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019EOQ6AK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Like this one?

I use this one and have seen it on the subreddit quite a few times (which is why I got it). The panels aren't perfectly clear but you can still see what your bun is up to.

You can also just ziptie the panels together and make it more circular.

https://www.amazon.com/Tespo-Playpen-Portable-Plastic-Transparent/dp/B06XTG94TH

Also does anyone have the transparent panel play pens? Would you recommend it?

Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Hes4AbSRBJ7ME

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017JDGZO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kr6-zb8PX80P6

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Av6-zbS52SFWB

These are Penny's favorite toys, and they are super cheap. Feel free to link your pup's favorite too! Christmas is coming!

Duckworth

I'll make a plug for this [yellow duckie] (https://www.amazon.com/Duckworth-Large-Yellow-Duck-Dog/dp/B000084E7Y/).

Is Duckworth a character of some kind?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000084E7Y?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd

This is the dog toy I have.

We use Merrick grain free pork and sweet potato. I am not sure if it's available outside of Texas though. We had good luck with Castor and Pollux Organix grain free, but we wanted to find something similar that used local ingredients. One thing to note is that we tried various formulas of Merrick until we found the one that produced the most solid stool. You might be able to find another Blue Buffalo formula that produces firmer stool.

We use Kong's Zoom Groom brush. It's great both for bath time and for regular brushing. It's gotten pretty hot here in Texas, so I take the hounds out to the courtyard in our apartment complex and brush them there. This brush gets handfuls of hair out of them!

Try the Zoom Groom by Kong. I think it's way better than the furminator and really won't damage their coats.

http://www.amazon.com/KONG-ZoomGroom-Grooming-Brush-Boysenberry/dp/B0002AR19Q/ref=sr_1_10?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1392572821&sr=1-10&keywords=dog+grooming

Hair type : (previously) heavily damaged, split ends up to 3" long, oily scalp very dry ends and mid shaft (obviously). Now, heavily chemically treated (bleach), long, ridiculously thick and a ton of it, frizz. photo more hair

oddly enough what helped me the most was stealing my dogs silicon bath brush, called a zoom groom and cutting back the amount that I washed my hair. The brush really helped clean residue off my scalp which cut down on oil production plus not washing as often helped regulate the production so it wasn't oil city. I wash once a week now with Joico Moisture Recovery, which is a PH balanced shampoo and condition set, non AB. I wash after a cold oil treatment on my hair (sometimes I'll wrap it up in a hot towel and heat the oil while on the strand) and scalp for 12-48 hours depending on what my schedule allows. The oil treatment is a combination of jojoba oil, avocado oil, argan oil.

After the wash and condition I have combined those oils along with a bit of my conditioner and filtered water into a spray bottle to use as a leave in conditioner. I'll use that throughout the week to tame frizz and treat any dryness.

Now that I think about it, she does it sometimes. I've always thought she was trying really hard not to fall asleep when she does it.

I brush her about once a week. She hates the brush with a fiery passion though so it usually ends up with me chasing her around with it. This is the one I use. I found that she has really light hairs and they come out really easily so that brush is great because it doesn't scratch her and also picks up loose hair with static since it's rubber. She keeps really good care of her fur though so the brushing once a week is pretty sufficient.

I also give her a trim once in awhile when I notice that her hair is blocking her eyes (she tends to run into walls then but I've read that hair in front of the eyes can be helpful for albinos since they're more sensitive to light. maybe something particular to the rabbit then). She also gets hay stuck in her face fluff so I try to trim it down a bit. If you do this, be very careful of trimming the whiskers by accident. They'll grow back but they're important for a rabbits balance. I also trim down her butt fluff once she starts catching things (hay and stuff) in it.

You're in for a joyride once his heavy shed starts. :) I recommend investing in lots and lots of lint rollers. Especially if you have any black clothing. Cricket goes through a heavy shed once every three months (probably with the seasonal change) and a not as heavy shed every month. During any of her sheds but especially the heavy ones, you can basically see clouds of fluff drifting everywhere in my apartment. :)

Congrats on your bun though. Lots of binky's and love coming your way!

Edit: A quick warning on the brush thing. I've found that furminators and any metal brushes tend to pull out more hair than anything else. It might just be particular to my rabbit but be careful nonetheless!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AR19Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is what I was using. Before or after it just brings her oils up where if I don't use it shes clean for at least 2.5 - 3 weeks before I feel oil/grease and then I wash her on week 4.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015UE70PI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Does something similar but doesn't seems to bring the oil up.

So you could be right, maybe not getting full contact with her skin. To be honest her fur is short but thick and it seems to just absorb the shampoo no matter how much I use.

Try a zoom groom.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002AR19Q?cache=126b6ac42a395854cb4ee553af7b9b1a&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1411608166&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

I had a very hairy cat...I took off about a lb of fur the first time I brushed him. Works well on dogs and cats!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002AR19Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1375334960&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY190

When my wooly Mally is blowing her coat, it is a multi-step process. Step one is using a slicker brush like /u/blounsbury linked - that helps get rid of most of the loose fur. I then move on to a rake style undercoat brush, often in conjunction with a de-matting rake. That will get the bulk of the undercoat out. The second to last step is using a metal comb to make sure all of the undercoat "chunks" are out. The final step is going over with the slicker brush for the final time.

Understand that this is a multi-day event. While the sound of "blowing the coat" sounds like something that should just suddenly happen, it takes place over a week or so. I measure my Mally's fur output in cats. Day one is usually one cat-sized lump of fur. Day two is like three. By day 3 and 4, we're usually down to a cat a day.

My Shiba uses one brush for his entire grooming process when he's blowing his coat - The Furminator. It does zip for a wooly Malamute (even the long-haired version does nothing).

A large part of grooming is personal preference. They have outdoorsy coats that don't require frequent maintenance. Some Aussies coats are sort of water and dirt resistant (not to say they won't get dirty but rather it flakes off easily without your personal intervention).

I primarily focus on reducing the quantity of hair balls in my house. This take brush was suggested by a fellow member of this subreddit. Aside from that I trim the excess dirt between their paws and underneath it once in a blue moon.
http://www.amazon.com/Oster-Professional-Grooming-Undercoat-Coarse/dp/B00061MWJ0
http://i.imgur.com/vnw0QJ2.jpg

WOW! so much great info! exactly what I was looking for! So you would recommend the DIY self service > PetSmart Furminator package?

Thanks for getting me the info while on mobile, i looked at furminator brush but thought that cant be the only thing i need, and couldn't find a specific grooming source this was super helpful. I will look into both DIY & Furminator.

Just to make sure i got the DIY procedure down:

1. Find self service dog wash with high power dryer ( i found a "Petco- unleashed" nearby ~$10/visit)
   
   
2. Buy Furminator brand Shampoo/Conditioner ( ~$10 each)
   
   
3. Buy Oster undercoat rake (~$16 bucks online) + bring my own regular brush...
   
   
4. Bathing-
   
   

• Wash dogs down first, get completely drenched
  
• apply shampoo (let sit in for ~5 min while rubbing?), wash dog again
  
• apply Conditioner to entire coat, then wash out again?
  
• Then begin drying with high powered dryer (~1hour?).
  
• Once completely dry i can then start to use brushes, correct?
  
• start with regular detangling brush, then use Oster brush.
  
• for my Pyr her hair seems to be heavily concentrated on her hind legs and chest. Any recommendations for these areas?
  
• Continue HighPowered drying while brushing? or once dry no need anymore?
  
  Thanks for the help! seems like DIY could cost me about ~$50-60. I just thought it would cost more for the tools they had in this grooming pyranees video

My favorite is the Oster undercoat rake. Its very efficient and my dog loves being brushed with it. I have a slicker brush and FURminator and they're both decent, but they are more time-consuming and my dog has mixed feelings about being groomed with them.

Well I'm in no way a dog expert hah. I would seek out any local trainers/behaviorist in your area. With the shedding problem though a good weekly run down with a rake would help tremendously. I use this one:

Oster Professional Pet Grooming Undercoat Rake, 18 Teeth Wide, Coarse https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061MWJ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_chUBwbKD1SYTC

It does an amazing job of pulling out the thick undercoat while leaving the top coat (the guard hairs) untouched. The thick undercoat is the culprit of all the masses of hair you see around the house, while the guard coat is very important to the dogs temperature regulation. You never want to shave, trim, or use a furminator on a double coated dog. It will do more harm than good.

As for the food aggression I would google some tips or seek out a professional. Sorry I couldn't be more help!

Something like this?

Oster Professional Pet Grooming Undercoat Rake, 18 Teeth Wide, Coarse https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061MWJ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_NezuybJYSQMCD

I use a Mars Coat King on my Pyr; this Oster undercoat rake is also good, it just doesn't have replaceable blades like the Coat King does. Undercoat rakes work really well to get out that undercoat while they're blowing it, without cutting the long top guard hair. I don't care for Furminators, which tend to have tines which are far too short to really get into a Pyrenees undercoat, and will instead pull and break the guard hair. You need to comb the rake with the direction of the coat, and it will help tremendously. It's what my mobile groomer guy uses on mine, and I keep one on hand to run through her coat about mid-way between grooming sessions.

Pin/Slicker brushes are sometimes not terribly effective on Pyr coats - some dogs have a super thick undercoat, and for those cases, a greyhound comb is usually a little better for a weekly brush session.

sound generators to stop dog barking 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and 6 If you read reviews at Amazon you will see that those type of people are known as "inconsiderate assholes" My neighbors plunked a dog in their backyard on Feb. 7th this year. Obviously purchased the dog based on his barking abilities. Great Dane. Wiki says a lifespan of 6-8 years. Fuck if I'm am going to spend the remainder of my life(old person) listening to a dog barking nonstop for hours on end. Our city has a law that says > 30 min illegal. I started calling the cops after I saw nothing was being done to shut the dog up. After the forth time the cops showed up I think a cop that had been there before showed up and was pissed. That and the legal paperwork the city sent the "inconsiderate assholes" nipped the problem in the bud, at least temporarily. The type of people that allow their dog to bark nonstop feel entitled. I expect the barking to start back up one of these days. Then it will be lawsuit time.

If I end up getting a lawyer. Security system, DVR, with 4 cameras and 85 foot infrared range. Additional infrared illuminators. Microphone. Graphic equalizer software. Aim 3 cameras and illuminators into neighbors backyard. Aim 4th camera at graphic equalizer software display running on computer. It is against the law to record conversations here so the owners are in the backyard with just a microphone could end up being illegal. Related links. 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 and 8 and 9

Seinfeld: Elaine Benes dognapping episode.

In your case possibly"you can't squeeze blood from a turnip".

Another idea is to record the dog barking. Play it back as a loop at an increased volume. When the neighbors are sleeping would be a good time. If you have a few thousand bucks you could use an LRAD speaker to beam the sound.

I’m late to the thread, so I’m putting this here.

My next door neighbor specializes in various sorts of bad dogs. Over the years she’s brought in a rogue’s gallery of bark freaks. Now she’s outdone herself with a pit bull that wants to taste my cat’s blood. The cat is a veteran hunter and more cunning than the dog, so he’s managed to weather multiple close calls. During the last year I’ve caught the dog in the act four or five times and lit it up with my CO2 powered pellet pistol… problem solved, I hope. The gun doesn’t draw blood on the dog, but it stings like hell.

This is a dog that ran right past me, yelling at it, to go after my cat. Now it’s gotten to where, if the dog sees me outside, it slinks off and hides. If it’s barking interminably late at night, it shuts the fuck up when I go out and yell at it.

I don't have it now because my neighbor stole it, but my favorite thing for uncontrolled barkers was the PetSafe Outdoor Bark Control. It worked for me but, if it doesn’t work for you, added pellet gun reinforcement right on top of the ultrasonic might just do the trick. Don’t ignore the instruction about using hearing protection when you’re setting it up.

Get an ultrasonic bark deterrent. I had one several years ago and it worked like magic.

LIKE MAGIC!!!

If all else fails:

http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Outdoor-Ultrasonic-Bark-Deterrent/dp/B000UZNLGA/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1405442612&sr=1-1&keywords=bark+deterrent+outdoor

Try something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Outdoor-Ultrasonic-Bark-Deterrent/dp/B000UZNLGA

They're hit and miss as far as if they actually work. I tried one when I had a neighbor with a crazy dog. It seemed to work for a little while.

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Original Post:

Author: /u/xigneusx

Ultrasonic noise machines?
>Hey there reddit, I live in the US. My Neighbor recently decided to grace my neighborhood with a new ultrasonic noise machine like this one: https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Outdoor-Ultrasonic-Bark-Deterrent/dp/B000UZNLGA
>
> He says its to keep mice away, but it plays all times of the day and can be heard across the street.
> What is the legality of this device?
> Is this the subreddit to ask? if not could you point me in the right direction?
>
> Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Outdoor-Ultrasonic-Bark-Deterrent/dp/B000UZNLGA

Needs a new battery about every 3 months. I was hoping it would train the dog to shut up, but as soon as the battery runs out that dumb dog starts barking again haha.

These work pretty well most of the time. I've used them to take care of neighbor dogs who bark all the damn time. It doesn't hurt them either, it's just a loud annoying sound you can't hear.

You need to train the dogs to stop barking, if they are next to your house you are in luck. My father and I both used an outside ultrasonic device to train our neighbors dogs. This will not work if they are too far away (like across the street), however the yard next door is perfect. I cant remember the model we used but it was something like this.
http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Outdoor-Ultrasonic-Bark-Deterrent/dp/B000UZNLGA

It may take a week but eventually they get the idea and shut the hell up.

Good luck.

Edit: Just FYI after running it about a month the dogs seem to be trained, 2 years later and they still don't bark incessantly even with the device off. You may get a bark here and there, waaaay away from the fence where the device is located, but that is not bothersome.

no, just motion. Weatherproof, yes.

Sounds like you need this

There are better ways to take care of that, you don't have to kill the dog.

This should be done with the consent of the owner.

Maybe try something like this?

Something like this is probably what you're looking for.

I have the same problem and haven't been able to find a solution either. I tried using this, but it didn't work at all.

I hadn't noticed it before. Seems to be only 5% for my dog's 30# bag of food which is normally $46.

can't speak to your question, but i do appreciate the spreadsheet!

I feed my dog Taste of the Wild, which gets 4.5 from Dog Food Advisor. A couple of the flavors are 5 and a couple are 4*. Very cost effective at $45 for 30lbs.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/taste-of-the-wild-dog-food-dry/

You are welcome! This is what we feed him:


Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food, Hi Prairie Canine Formula with Roasted Bison & Venison


We buy it locally but it is available from Amazon too and you can read the comments and more info for it there too if you want:


http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Wild-Prairie-Formula-30-Pound/dp/B000W5SLB8/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1406745803&sr=1-1&keywords=taste+of+the+wild+grain+free

$45 for a 30lb bag Taste of the Wild. Sometimes he gets buffalo breath, but he scarfs this shit down like noone's business. I remember this particular type getting an A or A- on one of those food rating sites, the top ingredients are all meat.

We order our dog food from Amazon. I know you don't want to waste time to have it shipped, but it's significantly cheaper online than at Petco. It's called Taste of the Wild. It's grain-free, and that helps with my bulldog's gas problems and its quality keeps the size of poops from being so big. We typically buy the salmon version, but here's the puppy formula which is also grain free.

Please feed your dog better food. It will pay for itself in lower vet bills!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000W5SLB8/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/191-2402932-3720767

We're about to switch him to https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007M0J9VC/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1. We're getting him off of this since he didn't like it much https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W5SLB8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We also use the dog food that comes in a tube for treats. He's definitely gained some weight in the past couple weeks so I'm trying to cut down on that.

Any brands you recommend?

I've tried a few over the years. Recently we switched from Science Diet Advanced Fitness to http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W5SLB8?refRID=ST6TKSR0XVJR7K8C9P89&ref_=pd_bia_nav_t_1

My golden loves the new stuff. LOVES

Apologies for delayed response. Just saw this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0010B8CHG/ref=asc_df_B0010B8CHG5263719/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B0010B8CHG&linkCode=df0&hvadid=218543830990&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2474541849567432655&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011703&hvtargid=pla-355745058183

It's quite pricey, but was well worth it. Especially considering the amount of treats I would have had to buy, additional trainer or behavioral consult sessions. I have gotten away with just using kibble to get the results I've needed with this device.

Our Treat n Train Manners Minder arrived today! I'm so excited to try it out!!

I have a Treat and Train It worked through walls for me.

I had the exact same problem with our puppy. She would bark as soon as we got out of sight, and we tried the leaving/coming back thing and it really didn't work. If we were in another room of the house, she would bark for HOURS, not just minutes.

We tried everything for months, and finally, I got an automatic treat dispenser. There are a few different ones out there, but the one I got was Manners Minder. A little expensive, but definitely worth it. I put it on top of her crate so that the treats drop in. It has a remote control, so I can control when the treat is given to her, and also has a mode to just dispense treats randomly.

I used this to aid my training. When I went out of sight, I clicked to give her a treat. Then I would randomly keep clicking it while I was away. It took her a couple of days, but she finally realized that good things happen when she's in the crate and I leave the room.

When I leave the house in the morning, I set it to automatically give her treats incrementally. We don't live in an apartment, so it doesn't bother our neighbors, so I have no idea if she barks throughout the day, but I know she doesn't bark anymore when I first walk out of the door.

Also, try doing some basic training. Train the stay command as much as you can. The more he is used to staying in one place not doing anything, the more he will be ok with staying in his crate when you're not there.

But yea, try out an automatic treat dispenser. It was a life saver for us.

Yeah, it's tough. I love my pup like a first child, craziness and all. We've had a behavioral trainer come in home and help us make some modifications. The best thing we've done is use this:

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Treat-Remote-Reward-Trainer/dp/B0010B8CHG

I can't imagine we paid this much for it, but we might have - being at the end of our rope and all. Basically it's remote controlled so it's super easy when holding a baby. Every time Maybe (our pup) looked at the baby we'd click the remote and it would beep and dispense a treat (we put it AWAY in a corner by her settle mat so she didn't have to get near the baby to get the treat). Then we gradually just started treating her for moving closer, etc.

Honestly if this were my dog I would go in the bathroom, turn on the water, and at the first bark dash out and say "no, quiet" I would do that for a bit then get in the shower, but I would also leave a shower soapy and wet to correct for barking. My dogs aren't allowed to bark ever though. I am pretty crazy about it, but I have to be, I could not have my dogs if they barked. If I had a problem barker I'd get a treat and train so I could reward quiet behavior without leaving the bathroom.

Treat and train https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0010B8CHG
Put the remote in a baggy so it doesn't get wet.

My rescue terrier is a nervous chewer and is super destructive with toys, but we can't give him chews like bully sticks because he's on a restricted diet and he can't have bones because he has broken teeth (he hit the jackpot of bad luck). We've found that the only toy he hasn't been able to chew through is his Chuck-It ball - When we're not using it for fetch he'll often just chew on it like a bone; he's had that thing since day 1 and 5 months later hasn't even broken the slightest piece off.

Aside from that, puzzle games will help with the anxiety. Besides Kongs, you can try something like this ball which dispenses kibble or treats as the dog rolls it around.

Yeah, it's juuuust enough to almost go back to sleep.

I'm thinking I should set my alarm earlier and get up in time for a 45-60 minute walk, I think he could use a tad more. Right now my pup is 9 months, but when he's a bit older I'm hoping to switch to a 30 min run.

I switch between this toy and this[feeder] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FPKNRF0/ref=twister_B00IHCS3K20 , (the green one,) but lately I have been doing half and half. On a side note, damn, it's way cheaper on Amazon than my local pet store. It's mostly to keep him occupied for a while longer and hopefully it's at least slightly mentally stimulating. It takes maybe 10 minutes for him to eat from the feeder and 15-20 minutes for the toy (which is sort of noisy.)

First and foremost I definitely recommend seeking a professional or asking advice from a breeder as well.

If you have a two year old husky/mix it needs EXERCISE. What are you doing to help release her energy? A walk a day wont do it. Our (nearly two) year old goes for about 2-3 long walks a day and we try to run her 2-4 miles when we can. I tired husky is a happy and lazy one.

Also toys to help stimulate her mind and make her work for her food will keep her busy and distracted. We have several types of kings and big ass roller type toys that we put ALL her kibble in. She rarely eat out of her food bowl because of this. I will show a milk bone in a kong and she will work on that for a while, or i'll stick 1/4 cup of kibble in a roller ball that has a tiny opening and plays with that for 30 min. Usually she naps after.

The key to these dogs is to outsmart them. They will own the house if you let them. Do not be afraid to dominate them. I do not mean abuse btw, i mean just using your body and frame of mind to assert that you are the alpha. Dont greet them until they are qquiet and this may be done by putting them in a crate.

Is she crate trained? When we got our husky as a puppy it was much easier since she was small. However, it can be stressful for rescue dogs who arent used to that. You want to make the crate THEIR safe place. Anytime you stick peanut butter in a kong, put in the crate and wait for them to go in there and get it. Reward them with a simple "good girl". Put a tshirt of yours in the crate that has your scent on it also. Never use the crate as a form of punishment. they will just destroy it.

On accidents in the house. Female dogs (especially huskies) do not completely empty their bladders once they go outside. We usually for ours to relieve herself at least three times before bringing her back in. Another think that may be causing her to keep having accidents is anxiety. Are you yelling at her when she has accidents? Whenever she has one, do not yell at her, but just immediately stop her by touching her. Put on the leash, then immediately take her outside. Wait for her to relieve herself again and then reward her. This will take the anxiety out of it.

This is my schedule with Lucy. 6-7 AM wakeup call from her letting me know she needs to go out. Walk her and wait for her to completely relieve herself and poop on the neighbors lawn. Then put 1/4 cup kibble in a kong and stuff a medium milk bone in there. Get ready for work. By the time I come out it's nap time for her. I take her out again 10 am before I leave. She goes in the crate with another 1/4 kibble in a different kong (variety is important). She sleeps the whole time. I come home for an hour on lunch break and she goes for a long walk. Usually right after I leave to go back to work, my SO comes home and takes her on another walk. She will get play time, scratches and belly rubs, and cuddles. She goes out ever 2 hours after that generally and then goes to bed around 9-10 pm and she's tuckered out. She sleeps on the bed until lights out and then she just hops off and goes into her crate on her own.

So I know this is a wall of text, but you can see how having a husky takes a lot of effort and attention. It was more than we bargained for but we made it work and everyone "ooooh's" and "aaaah's" when they see her.

here are some of the types of toys to look out for:

• http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Kibble-Nibble-Dispensing-Medium/dp/B001F0RRUA
  
• this thing is amazing
  
• we leave this one in her crate with kibble in it and sometimes seal it with peanutbutter and throw it in the freezer the night before.
  
• put milkbones or chicken jerky in this one
  
• also bully sticks and bacon flavored nylabone type toys. get on that
  
  she gets two cups of kibble a day and she works for most of it with the toys we have
  
  Edit: alsp go to petsmart and get some bitter spray (anti chewing). Get their brand because its the most offensive tasting one. Whenever she has chewed or where she might chew, spray. Then spray once in her mouth so she knows how disgusting it is. When you catch her chewing, stop her and spray in her mouth and then spray the area she just chewed.

So, there's a couple things that helped a lot with our pup that I haven't seen here yet. Daisy loooves her food egg and food cube. These are toys that also dispense food. We sometimes exclusively feed her from one of these. The cube was definitely her favorite, but became difficult for us to open. These are great because they provide enrichment during feeding, plus, if you're puppy is a gorge-and-puke eater, it'll help with that.

For toys, I'd say grab things that are varying levels of durable. They get a lot of satisfaction from pure destruction like with a stuffed animal or skineez, but having something to work on, like a nylabone or kong, is also good.

Have fun! Getting Daisy was definitely one of the best things I've ever done in my life. So yeah, good job!

Kongs are what we use the most. A large one filled with treats and a small one filled with either yogurt or peanut butter that has been frozen. We also have one of these that we use every now and then but he has gotten too good with it.

Hey there,
So your dog sounds like someone who would really love puzzle toys. They are toys that can keep dogs occupied for a while since the way the toy administers treats really varies so the dog will keep at it. A good one that isn't too expensive that my dog loves is this one from amazon. It has an adjustable hole so you can control how often food/treats will come out of the ball. Just keep in mind it's made out of a hard plastic so it may make noise when it gets knocked into things. If this concerns you, another toy I would suggest is this one which is also on amazon. It's a little more expensive but it does the same thing as the first one I listed and it has rubber bumpers around it so it won't make as much noise. Hope this helps!

Fetch, like others have mentioned and basically just letting him chase me or my bf around. The biggest help we've had is giving him his food in a ball (I'm on mobile, hope that worked.) We give his entire meal at night in one and it can make a HUGE difference.

Edit: We also have been doing a lot of training with him, which definitely keeps his brain engaged and focused.

Trick training is amazing to wear out your dog's brain and you can make major progress in as little as two 10 minute sessions a day. Check out Kyra Sundance's books:

101 Dog Tricks

10 Minute Dog Training Games

101 Ways to do More With Your Dog

Kyra runs the Do More With Your Dog website which is an easy way to earn titles with your dog by doing tricks. At the lower levels anyone can sign off as witness to your dog's tricks to earn the titles so you don't have to be in a class or anything (though classes are fun and the DMWYD website has resources to find local trainers)

You can also check out brain engaging toys such as these (NOTE these toys should be used with supervision so your dog doesn't eat the toy!)

-Ethical Pet Seek-A-Treat Shuffle Bone Dog Puzzle

-Ethical Pet Seek-A-Treat Flip 'N Flap Dog Puzzle

-Nina Ottosson Plastic Dog Brick Interactive Interactive Doy Toy Puzzle for Dogs, Plastic

-Nina Ottosson Dog Casino Interactive Doy Toy Puzzle for Dogs, Wood

Really any toy by Nina Ottosson is a good choice.

Enrichment can also be as easy as not feeding your dog out of a bowl. Try these (can be used with less direct supervision)

-Nina Ottosson Dog Treat Maze

-Kong Wobbler

And my dogs have constant access to these chewies (i leave these in their crates as well as long as they don't chew them down small enough to be choking risks).

-Nylabone

-Busy Buddy Treat Holding Bone

-Busy Buddy Jack

-Refills for the above Busy Buddy bones

-Busy Buddy for extreme chewers

bone board bottle

My favorites persons are my kitties! They love new toys like this one. Sometimes, they get a little obsessed with new toys, but I think that's okay :)

Some puzzles tend to be made of particle board and aren't very durable. Normal licking and pawing will start to make the particle board puzzles fall apart. This happened with my dog.

This is what I mean by particle board puzzles: http://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Seek---Treat-Shuffle-Puzzle/dp/B0038WP1YC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324588644&sr=8-1

It seems like that brand in particular uses the particle board type material. It would probably be fine for some dogs but my large lab mix licked and pawed and pieces fell off.

Bully sticks are good options for chewers, and they come in a variety of sizes, cuts, and lengths. I recommend the Barkworthies brand because they have odorless ones that won't smell up your place - they are available on Chewy, Wag, and Amazon. They have curly ones that seem to require a tad bit more effort than the standard stick ones. The Barkworthies ones are fine on the carpet as well - never had any color transfer, and I'm cautious since I'm a renter. There are probably other just as good brands out there, but be cautious about where the product is made - no Chinese produced bully sticks (per my vet).

Another good option are puzzle games. There are tons of types, and they have the advantage of both entertaining your dog, and giving them mental exercise at the same time. Nina Ottosson ones are fabulous, but they aren't very cheap (and can be a bit complicated, and often require more interaction from the human). My dog loves the Ethical Pet brand ones for some reason this is her favorite one. They are kind of boring looking, but she seems to be more willing to engage with those than the flashier ones.

I usually get chicken jerky and use kitchen shears to cut the strips up into tiny little pieces, and use those in the puzzle games as opposed to traditional treats. I also use string cheese and carrot pieces, and she loves 'em.

Have you looked into nosework? This comment does a good job of laying out structured nosework. But, for my dog (Lhasa Apso), I usually just take the cut up pieces of chicken jerky and toss 'em around the room - they have a pretty strong smell, and she just goes off searching. It keeps her occupied for a good bit, and then she just takes a nap.

> sidering the bob a lot by starmark.

We use them for a treat after they get their nails done or teeth brushed, they seem to look forward to those activities more and more now...

We have this one (no name)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KZ5EZU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this:
http://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Seek---Treat-Shuffle-Puzzle/dp/B0038WP1YC/ref=sr_1_sc_6?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1416098799&sr=1-6-spell&keywords=nina+ottoson


I like the 1st one best, the second one it is hard for them to slide the trays as they are so slippery. I'd like to get a few more , they really like them. They don't work as great on our Newfoundland, it's just to small for her, but for our Italian greyhounds they are the perfect size.

My dog would love this/ Datsyuk! Thanks for the contest!

I'm actually a grad student as well, and am always looking for ways to keep the critters busy while I'm gone or studying. I've found a few helpful toys, though the best entertainment I have is a bird feeder on my deck, they will sit and chirp at the birds for hours.

I've heard good things about this toy, unfortunately you can't set it to go off while you're gone. But it has a setting to turn off after 15mins so you can set it and leave.
http://www.amazon.com/FroliCat-BOLT-Interactive-Laser-Pet/dp/B0021L8W6K

This one is amazing, it was recommended to me by a vet. If your cat is food driven this will keep him busy. You can put treats or cat nip in it, or even their whole meal.
http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-SlimCat-Food-Distributor-Ball/dp/B0018CG40O/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1348904553&sr=1-1&keywords=food+ball

This is also great for food motivated cats, one of mine will walk over and move the sliders around asking for treats. If he seems particularly bored I'll put most of his meal in this and make him work for it.
http://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Seek-A-Treat-Shuffle-Bone-Puzzle/dp/B0038WP1YC/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1348904645&sr=1-2&keywords=dog+puzzle+toys

I have this one as well, this works better for when you're home and can turn it on and off, there is no timer. My cats love to chase things under blankets, and they come running when I turn this on. It is kind of loud, so I put it in the other room while I'm studying so I don't have cats all over my books.
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11539790

Hope this helps! I would highly recommend starting with the food ball or the laser light as they're a little cheaper, but I also know us pet parents like to spoil our critters.

I've been really wanting this puzzle for my puppy, she destroys all her toys but I doubt she would see this as a chew item!
Thank you so much!
:D

Oh I love the idea of making him work for every bit of kibble! I am going to try to use this!

To piggyback off of this comment, my pup LOVES this toy: http://www.amazon.com/Our-PetsSmarter-Treat-Inches-Colors/dp/B003ARUKU0

The nice thing about it is that you can increase the difficulty of the treat release. My puppy blasted through the levels, but the hardest level is still pretty challenging and he loves running around the house with it :)

It will get better soon! Trust me! I felt the same way you did 3 months ago. My pug puppy is 5 months old now and she is so much easier to handle than before!

I found that feeding my girl out of a treat ball was a great way for her to get physical exercise and also mental exercise. This is the one I got for her in the 3 inch option. There's a middle white portion that makes it harder to get kibble/treats out but I removed that until she got the hang of using it. It's so much fun to watch her bat the ball around the house and get her food out.

Keep up the training and be consistent. They say pugs are hard to potty train but if you keep up a routine it will really help! My girl lets me know when she needs to go now because she knows she will get a yummy high value treat when she potties outside.

I can't tell you how many times I almost gave up and regretted getting her. Now I feel so guilty for thinking that way because she truly makes me happy every single day. Good luck!

This is under $10 and for my puppy who loves drama llama :)

How much physical and mental exercise is he getting daily right now (in hours)?

It sounds like he's food motivated! An easy way to introduce some mental stimulation is to get some treat dispensing puzzles and feed him his meals in those! If he's never done them before I would get a few and start him off on an easy one first. This one is a great one to get started with and this one has a piece in the middle you can take out or put in for more difficulty. Other than that, just two 5-10 minute sessions of trick or obedience training daily can make a big difference. There's lots of great guides on youtube for that. Taking a fun training or sports class together is also a great way to tire out his brain and body and a wonderful way to bond and become closer.

As far as off leash back yard play time, I always like to recommend a flirt pole. They are super easy to make yourself or you can order off Amazon. I've got a BC/Cattle Dog mix and we like to alternate flirt pole, fetch, tug/keep away/chase, and blowing bubbles!

But honestly if he's getting a lot of exercise and fairly chill, not destructive or having other behavior issues he might just be fine. Not all dogs like to snuggle or be right up in your face all the time.

Do you mean something like this?

Lol I keep seeing your posts! I saw "Riley" and I thought, hey I know that name.

Just wanted to drop a comment and say Kiba is about 17 lbs now. He got weighed at his lime disease shot a week ago so he's probably another pound by now.

He also eats about 2 cups a day, but I find that he'll graze and come back to his bowl when he's hungry again. He'll often eat the whole thing in one sitting, but not always. A few days ago I haphazardly spilled the bag into the bowl and didn't know it wasn't enough until he started pawing at the food bag. I gave him the rest of his lunch (sorry Kiba!) and he ate it and left the food bag alone.

Shibas tend to be good about eating their fill and leaving what's left. If you want to give him a little extra and see if he eats it, I can't see a problem with that.

Overfeeding dogs as puppies is a little like overfeeding kids. A bit of extra weight isn't that big of a problem, as long as they are growing into their weight and not staying plump as they become an adolescent. A good rule of thumb is paying attention to their waistline from top-down. So standing over him, does he have a defined waist? His body should curve in and then out again when you reach his hips. Fatter puppies are sort of hot dog shaped, and underfed dogs either have visible ribs or, in flyffy dogs, ribs you can feel individually when you run your hand over them.

Since he's a puppy, giving him a little bit more food, I think, is okay. As long as he's getting his walks and playtime, He'll grow into his weight as he reaches a year.

Also, want to feed him, stimulate him, and get him some playtime all at the same time? Kiba gets one of his meals in this every day (mostly at night when im too busy to play with him): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKU0/ref=twister_B06XCNJCMG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

The 3-incher is about the size of a tennis ball. Kiba can pick it up in his mouth and throw it at me when it's empty and needs more :)

Get your doggo one of these!!!! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000084E7Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000084E7Y&linkCode=as2&tag=regory-20&linkId=bca94afdc761f3b7a27e2f60c33e46a8">Duckworth Large Yellow Duck Dog Toy

They've finally started to modify collars for post-surgery, I used this Kong collar, but make sure she has the right size. Pet stores near me sell them, or similar styled ones. Can you call your vet and discuss the howling, possibly a trial run of pain meds to see if it helps - honestly I'm careful not to assume that my dog letting me touch something means it doesn't hurt, the pain may be further in, or i may not be applying the right pressure. If the medication helps, then you know there was pain, potentially inflammation, and as you wean her off them ensure the howling doesn't return. Aftercare should be a part of her surgery - when are you due for a wound check? Ideally you could trial the meds and discuss results then.

Sorry for all that - it comes down to, is she eating well, drinking well? For the howling call your vet and see if a trial of pain meds is possible, or if they think it's behavioural. Does one of the nurses know if she was howling in the kennels? Given she is also limited with walks and such at the moment that may play a part. Either way, call the vet, discuss eating and drinking habits and make sure you feel right about their response. And check your check up date :)

from the Amazon listing.

Yes they are blades and if you rub your finger on them you will cut yourself.

if you want a rake that won't cut, get one of the pin style rakes

I saw your wish list and you don't have any waste bags! I know toys and beds are important, but you have to think about hygiene as well. I bought waste bags similar to these and they're really important, so I would recommend getting them:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NABTGY2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550399181&sr=8-1&keywords=Dog&dpPl=1&dpID=41wU8IMCLcL&ref=plSrch

I thought these were pretty cool as wel, in case you wanna groom your dogs:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01N9KSITZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1550399482&sr=8-27&keywords=Dog

And lastly this toy looks really nice. I remember I used to have one of these Gumbys(kids toy), and the dog version looks pretty good:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A80X19E/ref=mp_s_a_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1550399610&sr=8-21&keywords=Dog&dpPl=1&dpID=41IhHv4douL&ref=plSrch

My dog barks at noises in the apartment while I'm at work causing complaints of course. I bought this that I just turn on while I'm at work. Been doing it for about a year now and haven't had a complaint since. It emits a sound only dogs can hear when there is a loud enough noise (bark) to set it off. You could just turn it on at bed time!
http://www.amazon.com/DOGTEK-Sonic-Control-Outdoor-Indoor/dp/B00ESMUWS6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457364582&sr=8-1&keywords=bark+deterrent